No Road of Flowers
by Yuan18
Summary: 7 years after Link returns to his childhood in Ocarina of Time, Zelda learns that legends, wisdom, and heroes aren't always written in stone. When Link is captured by the Dark Lord, can Zelda fill a role she was never meant to have? Zelda/Link
1. This is where I'm meant to be

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time belongs to Nintendo.

Author's note: A word about the setting and timeline of this fic. This story takes place after Ocarina of Time and follows the young Link who is sent back in time so he could have a childhood. He meets Princess Zelda in the courtyard (as seen in the end of the game) and they expose Ganondorf's evil plot to the Hylian King. After an epic battle or two that the readers shouldn't worry about, Ganondorf is imprisoned (but not vanquished), Hyrule is safe, and the King of Hyrule is alive. Thus, our small heroes are hailed as such by the kingdom, and grow up together as fast friends. That was more than a word, but hopefully this explanation will have answered many questions for the events on out.

It is important to note that Link has retained his memories of the Ocarina of Time events and because the seven years of Ganondorf haven't happened, Zelda has never become Sheik.

I would like to thank Dana, my fairy, for introducing me to the Legend of Zelda, and then having me murdered by a horde of angry chickens. This one's for you.

**No Road of Flowers**

Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.  
--Oliver Goldsmith

**Chapter 1: This is where I'm meant to be**

Link stood in front of the courtyard door, telling his feet to move. There was only so long he could get away with the excuse "I had to fight a Deku Baba on my way over" before Zelda could call him on it. His fingers flexed. What would she say? "You must be joking," or "thanks but no thanks"?

Link shuddered, and then took a deep breath. It was okay. This was just another adventure and this was the door to just another dungeon. He could do this. He would do this. Or die trying. He squared his shoulders and opened the door.

The castle courtyard was as beautiful as it had always been. Fluffy flowers in several pastel shades grew in glorious haphazardness inside a fairy ring of small shrubs, and the moat water made a gentle trickling noise as it wound its way along the walls. There was a young woman reclining on the stone dais, serenely strumming a lyre. Her silk dress rippled around her long legs and her eyes were closed.

Link waited for a couple minutes; her melody was a new one. After a several measures, he took his fairy ocarina out and began to play the counterpoint. Their polyphonic music weaved in and out of each other, a declaration and an affirmation, a question and a reply. The birds paused their chirping to listen as the melodies crescendoed, then died.

"That," said Link, lowering his ocarina, "was our best yet."

Zelda opened her eyes and smiled at him. "You always say that."

"I always mean it." Link watched as Zelda's legs slid smoothly under her body so she could stand. The sunlight trickled down her dark blonde hair and glimmered off the gem on her tiara. She stepped regally off the dais and Link held out his hand. Zelda lowered her eyes, paused, and then grabbed it and spun him around into a hug.

Link laughed and touched her cheek. "Are you sure this is ok?" he asked, glancing at the windows that led into the palace.

"It's fine; my father should be at a council meeting," answered Zelda. She covered his hand with hers and pressed it to her cheek. "Even if he isn't, it's been two weeks, and I've missed you!"

Link dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers. "I've missed you too."

Zelda nervously glanced at the three windows set in the walls of the courtyard. Once she was sure no one was there, she hugged him tightly again. "You have to tell me about your adventures at Death Mountain!' she said, taking his hand and leading him over to the stone dais. "A small Goron party came to the market to sell granite tables and some urns. There were more than usual; have the Gorons expanded their masonry base?"

"Um, they may have. I was in the forge most of the time, so I can't really say," said Link sheepishly, scratching the tip of one ear.

"The forge? I've never been in the forge, but I've heard stories. What's it like?"

"It's huge, at least twice the size of the throne room. There are all these litte hexagonal workstations set up, honeycomb style. When you see it while you're standing on one of the balconies, it looks like a beehive with glowing honey."

Zelda clasped her hands together in delight. "That sounds incredible! I'd love to see it sometime."

"You should; we can repair your plate armor there. The Gorons have techniques for compounding alloys that our Hylian smiths haven't even heard of. It'll be twice as strong once we're done!"

"'We?'" Zelda laughed. "Two weeks and you can repair my armor? Should I be calling you 'Master Smith?'"

"'Master' is just fine," said Link brightly. Zelda elbowed him none too gently in the ribs and he elbowed back.

"Wait," said Zelda, catching Link's elbow in her hand. "You never told me why you went to the smiths. Were you making those knives you were talking about during the Firefly Festival?"

"Which ones-Oh. No, I never got around those," said Link. His heart beat more forcefully in his chest.

Zelda stared at him inquisitively. "Well, then what were you doing?"

"Well…um." Link fidgeted. "We're still going to tell your father about us today, right?"

"Yes." Zelda looked a little troubled. "I'm worried though. I've only been of age to be courted for a week and my father is already lining up prospects."

"I knew we should have told him on your birthday!"

"I still think that would have been too sudden," said Zelda, shaking her head. "Now is probably the best time."

"Ok, good." Link took a deep breath. Just another dungeon. "Well, we've been together for a while, now, right?"

"Depends," Zelda said, poking him playfully. "Are you referring to the seven years we've been friends or the year we've been together?"

"Both, I guess," Link fiddled with the pouch on his sword strap. "Anyway, I know this is going to seem sudden, and I really, really don't want to make things weird between us, but we've known each other for a long time, right, so I thought it might be ok-"

Zelda touched his hand gently, but firmly. "What is it, Link?"

Link glanced into her kind blue eyes and then flipped open the lid of his sword strap pouch. He got down on one knee and opened his hands to reveal a small wooden box carved with fairies.

"Zelda, I love you. A lot. I've loved you for a long, long time. And I want to keep loving you. For a long, long time." Link opened the box. A crystal set in the white gold petals of a flower sparkled up at her. "So…will you marry me?"

Birds chirped. For a long, long time.

Link studied Zelda's face desperately. She looked stunned, but he couldn't tell what she was thinking. She didn't seem about to kick him out of the courtyard, or worse, regretfully decline, but she hadn't thrown her arms around him in utter joy, either. This silence needed to be broken.

"Um, this doesn't have to be now. I mean, you don't have to marry me yet," he said hurriedly. "This is…it's for when we're ready. I mean, since you're taking the throne soon, I thought I ought to make my intentions clear to your father, and well, I still need to talk to your father, and I would have done so before this, but, I thought the person who should have final say is you, so here I am. Asking you first."

Zelda tentatively reached out and scooped the little box out of his hands. She stared at it and gently touched the petals surrounding the crystal. Lowering the box, she looked up at Link and opened her mouth-

"No."

Link and Zelda's heads whipped toward the courtyard entrance. The Hylian King stood there, his eyes narrowed.

"Father…" Zelda said in the smallest voice Link had ever heard.

He stared at them for one agonizing moment, and then spoke in a quiet, lethal voice. "I heard everything."

Link didn't dare look at Zelda, but he could feel her shrinking next him.

"Never in my life have I been more disappointed in my daughter," he said, walking slowly forward to tower over the two of them. "You deceived me, Zelda. And you didn't just dishonor you father, you dishonored your king. I know you know better. Why did you do it?"

Zelda didn't say anything. Link suspected it was because her heart had failed.

"Can you answer me?"

Zelda lowered her head and stared at her lap.

The King turned to Link. "Perhaps _you_ can explain this to me, Sir Link?" he asked dryly.

"We wanted to wait until I was worthy of her, your Majesty," said Link. The King blinked, he clearly didn't expect to be answered. Link clenched his fists to stop his hands from trembling. "This is my fault as well. I wanted to court her, but I am just an ordinary Hylian. I thought that after I finished my quest and gathered the three Spiritual Stones, I would be worthy of courting her."

"The kingdom appreciates your swordsmanship and valiance, Sir Link," said the King, inclining his head the slightest of degrees. "Because of you, Princess Zelda will take hold of the Triforce and her rule will be one of peace and prosperity. You have indeed earned your knighthood. But from the sounds of your conversation, you as well as the Princess have been hiding your courtship for a _year_."

Link stood up and knelt down at the foot of the King. "For that, I deeply apologize. We…have loved each other for a long time and did not begin seeing each other with the intention of breaking the rules regarding her courtship. Both Zelda, I mean, Princess Zelda and I wanted to tell you sooner, but we thought we should wait until after she was of age to be courted."

"This doesn't change the fact that the two of you continued to court behind my back for a year."

"No, your Majesty," said Link, dread like toxin in his mouth. "It doesn't. I truly apologize."

"And you proposed to her without asking for my permission."

"Yes I did, your Majesty," Link replied, wondering whether beheading was as quick as he hoped it was.

The King stared at Link for a moment, then said in an almost mild tone. "You know, I did hear _everything._ Including why you asked her first." Link blinked, but didn't dare raise his face. "It's untraditional to say the least, and some would call it disrespectful. But I understand why you would want to introduce a marriage proposal to the one whom you want to marry instead of her father."

Link began to hear Zelda breathing again.

"Rise, Sir Link," the King commanded. Link stood swiftly. "In accordance to your dishonorable actions, I remove your knighthood and banish you from this court for a year." Zelda sucked in her breath sharply, but Link continued to respectfully hold his gaze. "A year from today, I will welcome you back to earn your knighthood once more."

Link bowed his head. "I understand and will humbly comply with your decree, your Majesty."

"You are a gifted swordsman and a good man. I do believe you will earn your knighthood again, and swiftly," the King said softly. "But you will never marry the Princess Zelda."

Dead silence.

"I acknowledge and appreciate your honorable intentions towards my daughter," said the King, almost paternally. "I believe you will be a fine husband someday. But Princess Zelda is royalty and she needs a King who is trained as such to rule by her side."

"Father-" Zelda cried. The King held up a hand to silence her. "You too must understand this, Princess Zelda. It is for the good of the kingdom."

The King took the small, lovingly-carved box firmly from his daughter's hands and handed it back to him. Link took it helplessly.

"You are dismissed, Link," said the King. Although the King's voice was even, the absence of Link's title was uncomfortably tangible. "May you learn many valuable lessons during your exile and reclaim your knighthood with honor."

Link bowed automatically. He watched numbly as the King led Zelda out of the courtyard. He wanted to call her name and stop her. He wanted to run after her and wrap her in his arms. He wanted to say good-bye.

Before Zelda disappeared around the corner of the courtyard wall, she looked over her shoulder and mouthed "midnight."

As Link watched the last strands of golden hair vanish behind her, he was already thinking about which tree under Zelda's window would be the perfect place to hide in.

* * *

There were times when Link wished the three Spiritual Stones were still safe in the bellies of a tree, a mountain and a fish. Then at least he would have some company, even if it was hiding under his hat. But he had gathered them, and now that peace seemed imminent in Hyrule, his tiny blue companion had declared him a hero and flittered off into the forest. He had been sad to see her go, but he had never missed her high-pitched little voice as much as he did now. Sitting in a tree for four hours was numbing his brain as well as his lower half.

He sighed quietly and looked at the sky. It _must_ be midnight by now. He was about to edge towards a ledge where a Gossip Stone sat and strike it for the time, when the window a few feet away from his tree opened a sliver.

Link immediately scanned the ground under her window. There were guards, but only a couple, and Link knew they would begin to start another round and would be replaced with new guards soon. Evidently the King hadn't expected Link to come back. Whether it was because the King trusted him to honor his decree (Link felt a slight pang of guilt), or whether it was because he didn't think they would need one last good-bye (the pang subsided), Link didn't know. But he was grateful for the moment the guards walked away and left the Princess's window unmonitored so he could leap from his tree over to the next tree and grab the rope Zelda hurriedly threw him. For one adrenaline-soaked moment, he scrambled up the window and tumbled into her chamber. The rope slithered swiftly and silently back up the wall and the princess's window shut with the tiniest of clicks.

Link and Zelda let out a sigh of relief, then simultaneously shot looks at her closed door to make sure guards didn't come bursting through to arrest the intruder. Their eyes met for a split second, and then Zelda was in Link's arms and they were squeezing each other tight. Apologies were whispered frantically as Zelda buried her head in his chest and Link ran his fingers through her silky hair.

"Oh Link," said Zelda, tears at the edge of her voice. "Your knighthood…I'm so sorry!"

"That's not your fault," Link said earnestly. "I should have waited until you were of age. Plus, look at us now! It's just way too easy to see you in secret," he said, trying to make Zelda smile. "We were going to tell him anyway, and what was sneaking past a couple of guards compared to asking your father to change a law so you could be courted early?"

"Besides your title?" said Zelda bitterly. "I don't believe this…a whole year…"

"Is Impa ok?" Link asked. Aside from the two of them, the room was empty, but he didn't know if it was of the Sheikah's own accord, or the King's.

"She's fine. The King knows she doesn't follow me everywhere, and I told him we saw each other while she was taking a break, or when I snuck away from her." Zelda sighed. "Impa was right. I should have spoken to my father about us. Even if he said no…at least we would have known where we stood."

"_I_ know where we stand," said Link, tilting her face up to his. "A year's a long time, but I won't be gone forever, Zelda. I'll earn my title back, and more, and your father will be proud to give his permission to court you."

Zelda's beautiful blue eyes lowered, and Link's heart thudded. "Don't you think I can do it?"

"It's nothing to do with your abilities, Link," said Zelda dully. "If your plan was possible, I'm sure you could do it. But it's not."

"What? Why?"

"I'm 'royalty'," said Zelda with an unwilling sort of contempt. "It is a law that I must marry at least a nobleman who is trained in governing a domain."

"But…we talked…you said it would be all right," said Link, grasping her hand. "We were going to show your father that my origins don't matter, right?"

Zelda turned away from him. "After you left, the King told me that I need to marry from one of the eligible noblemen. I have to make sacrifices so the country will prosper."

Link stared at her, mouth ajar. Her words were clearly not her own, but he could tell that deep down, she believed them. She turned back to him, eyes pleading.

"Link, I love Hyrule. If there's anything I can do to ensure it's safety, I will. I love you, I love you so much, but I'd never forgive myself if I brought harm to you or this country because I didn't think things through again."

Link stepped toward her. "But we'll do things right this time, Zelda. I love Hyrule too and we'll take care of it. Together."

Zelda flinched and her eyes were filled with longing. Link placed his hands on her upper arms and soothingly ran them up and down. "From the moment I saw you as a child, I wanted to protect you. You've got the most selfless heart of anyone I've ever known. You make me want to live up every adventure I set out upon and win every fight. You make me laugh and pull the best pranks ever. I love you, not because you are a princess and not because you'll be a queen, but because you're Zelda. So…wait for me? Please?"

Zelda opened her mouth, but she was trembling badly and no words came out. A spark of hope lit in Link's chest and he leaned in for a kiss…

But she gently put her hands over his…

Removed them…

And stepped away.

Link felt like dying.

"I'm sorry, Link," said Zelda. Her voice wavered, but she did her best to return his gaze. "I wish I could. I really wish I could."

Link managed to nod. He reached out, took one of her hands, and pressed something into it.

"Wha-Link, I can't accept this-"

"I made it for you," he said quietly. "It's yours."

He turned and opened the window carefully. Zelda watched as he lowered the rope and swung himself over the side. Before he lowered himself down, he and Zelda stared at each other one last time. Zelda stood straight with her head held high, every inch a royal Princess instead of a grieving girl. But Link knew better.

"I'll be there," he blurted out. "Anytime you need me, I'll be there. And I'll fight for you."

And he would. Because he didn't want her to cry.

Zelda nodded, and murmured her thanks. A pause. Neither one of them wanted to say good-bye, so Link slid down without another word and Zelda shut the window silently.

Link would never remember how he managed to successfully sneak out of the castle grounds that night. What he did remember was saddling Epona and tearing like a keese out of hell for the horizon. The wind whipped through his clothing and he rode, rode, rode as hard as he could.

It was all right. It was going to be all right. He had broken records, weapons, and bones for the Princess Zelda.

His heart could break for her too.

* * *

Zelda leaned against the window frame and stared at the outlines of a few trees and the tip of a Gossip Stone. Link was long gone, but she knew that if she turned around and went to sleep, she would wake up to the first day of her new life without him.

When the sky began to turn a mellow medium blue she spoke in a hoarse voice. "Impa."

"Yes, my princess?" The tall, stoic Sheikah materialized from the shadows of her chamber.

"Did I…" Zelda dreaded asking, but she needed to. "Did I do the right thing?"

The Sheikah was silent for such a long time that Zelda actually turned away from the window to stare at her. Those who didn't know Impa would have said her face was expressionless, but Zelda could see something; regret, concern, or pity tracing her features.

"I think," Impa said quietly, "that what you did was smart. I know you are trying to make up for your mistakes and act in the best interests of your future kingdom. I commend you for that."

"But…?" prompted Zelda.

"But nothing," answered Impa, not unkindly. "It is up to you to make your own decisions regarding your future. You are an intelligent young woman and I know you will do your best for your people. That is all anyone can ask of a monarch."

"Thank you," Zelda whispered. She turned back to the window and lifted the small wooden box up to her face. The little fairies, exquisite in their workmanship, were flitting around little momentos of the times the two of them had shared. There was a Gossip Stone, for the time they discovered a statue that had urgently revealed that the Princess was a tomboy. It wasn't aware that Link had known that for years. There was a bunny hood, which Link had bought when they were children running around Hyrule Castle Town. Zelda had loved the bunny hood so much that Link had cheerfully plopped it on her head and declared it hers. Zelda had been delighted, but when she tried to pay him back, Link had squeezed her tight and said that anything she asked of him, he would always give to her.

_Everything I have is yours._ Many times he had told her that and everytime he meant it. He had given her stories, sword lessons, jokes, love. Over and over again. And now, when she couldn't give him the one thing he asked of her, he still offered his best.

Zelda couldn't help it. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and fell to her dress, dampening the crest of the Royal Family. She tried to stop them, but then Impa's strong hand gently squeezed her shoulder, and Zelda lowered her face into her hands. Her slender frame shuddered with sobs and wouldn't stop.

* * *

The council chamber was entirely too warm and Princess Zelda's water goblet was already empty. She would have given anything to leave this stuffy room, saddle Alabaster, and gallop off to Hyrule Field to enjoy the day. Maybe she could go visit Malon, or see how Kakariko Village was doing. Maybe she could go find Link. She hadn't heard from him in over two weeks, and while that was not at all surprising given the circumstances, this unfamiliar void in her life made her wildly restless. She toyed with a necklace that she wore under her dress.

One of the council members stood. "Your Majesty, I strongly advocate Prince Siegfried as the new King of Hyrule."

"Strongly, you say?" the King asked casually. His fingers idly twirled a falcon feather quill. "Siegfried has a tenacious will, but does not seem fully aware of his capabilities. Hyrule needs a leader that knows how to use all of its resources to keep the peace."

"Prince Raphael, then?"

"Raphael? That man is arrogance personified. I have also heard rumors of a young daughter, and I will not have a bastard as the heir to throne."

Princess Zelda looked up sharply, outraged to hear her father speak so harshly of a little girl.

"Excuse me," she said icily. The council fell silent as she stood up and placed her hands firmly on the table in front of her. "The identity of the Royal Heir is my and my husband's decision alone. As many of our knights and merchants and farmers have demonstrated, bloodlines mean nothing in the face of hard work and talent."

"You would abdicate the throne to a girl with no connection to the Royal Family?" gasped an advisor. The King narrowed his eyes at the princess.

"If that girl became my adopted daughter, she would _have_ a connection to the Royal Family, and she would _inherit_ the throne," said Princess Zelda coolly.

"Well then, Princess Zelda," the King said, a slightly sardonic note in his voice. "Are you planning to take Prince Raphael as your King then?"

The princess turned to her father. "No."

"Who then?" the King asked lightly, resting the tips of his fingers together complacently.

Princess Zelda stared at the expectant faces in the council chamber.

"Me," she said simply.

Each of her audience had the exact same look of confusion on his or her face.

"_What?"_

"The one who is going to govern Hyrule," Princess Zelda said clearly, "is me."

"My dear daughter," said the King quickly. "Of course you're going to take care of Hyrule. But you need a husband and as the King, he will handle the difficult decisions and keep you and Hyrule safe."

"I have been training as this kingdom's leader since the age of four," said Princess Zelda steadily. "I am more qualified than any of the princes you have introduced me to. Not to mention," she said with a sideways glance at her father. "My great-great-grandmother was the dominant ruler in her time and worked hard to maintain peace before her son usurped her and laid waste to most of Hyrule."

"So you intend to rule an entire kingdom all by yourself?" inquired the King skeptically.

Princess Zelda touched the necklace under her dress. _We'll take care of it. Together._

"No Father," she answered. "Not all by myself."

* * *

Princess Zelda was fastening a cloak over her shoulders when the King opened the door.

"Princess Zelda, you cannot do this."

"Father," sighed the princess. "I respect your authority as my King and your counsel means a great deal to me. But I must go."

"You respect my authority? Like the way you didn't tell me about your affair for a year?"

Princess Zelda's fingers slowed. "I was stupid to do that," she said quietly. "And I have apologized. But if I do not do this, I remain the fool I was, the fool who was too afraid of the consequences to even try."

The King walked towards her. "A commoner like him without a drop of royal blood in his veins cannot possibly become the King of Hyrule!"

"Then he won't!" exclaimed Princess Zelda exasperatedly. "He'll be the Royal Regent! The Royal Consort! The Royal _Concubine_ if need be, but as long as he'll have me, he _will_ be my husband."

"You cannot marry him, Princess Zelda," the King said doggedly. "This kingdom deserves the best!"

"Link is the best," said Princess Zelda quietly. "He is the bravest man in Hyrule and he will fight with all his strength for it and its people. And for me."

The King stared at her, and then something in his countenance seemed to subside. Maybe it was a resignation to something he'd always known, or a submission to something far more powerful than a throne. Maybe it was simply a recognition of himself in his daughter. "You are really going, aren't you?"

"Yes, Father."

"And if I try to detain you, you will try to escape, won't you?"

"Yes, Father."

The King heaved a mighty sigh. "Then go, Princess Zelda. Be safe and come back soon. I can't give him his knighthood back, but go find him and tell him what you need to tell him. Once you return to the castle with Link, we will discuss this further."

He held out his arms and Princess Zelda embraced him. "Thank you," she whispered. "I love you."

"Of course you do," said the King gruffly. "Try to make it back at least a week before your coronation. We still need to get him cleaned up."

Princess Zelda cracked a smile, then picked up her saddlebag and her traveling case. As she headed for the door, her father called out to her.

"A kingdom is a tremendous weight. You and Link have very different abilities. How can a Princess and a champion carry it together?"

Princess Zelda lifted her hood up over her head. "We both want to care for Hyrule and that makes us the same. One will govern and one will protect, but we are still a team."

_And perhaps not a bad one at that,_ thought the King as the edge of her cloak vanished through the door. _Perhaps not a bad one at all._

* * *

The princess was almost out of the castle when she stopped abruptly in her tracks. "Impa."

"Yes, my princess?" the Sheikah answered, smoothly materialzing from behind a column.

Zelda knew, but she wanted to ask anyway. She looked her attendant straight in the eye. "Am I doing the right thing?"

Impa smiled, and it was the best sight Zelda had seen all day. "I think," she said, "that what you are doing is wise."

And that was all she needed to hear. Zelda hugged Impa tight and Impa stroked her golden hair. "I've saddled Alabaster and packed some rations and money. Use them cautiously."

"I will. Thank you!" Zelda called as she flew toward the stables.

* * *

At the best of times, dungeons are not comfortable. When one has spent seven years in a dungeon, they are downright nasty.

The prisoner was laying on his side on his cot. The dull monotony of jail life no longer drove him mad, but when possible, he preferred to sleep. In dreams he could believe he was somewhere else, anywhere else. In dreams he could speak to two twin spheres of fire and ice and begin to hope for freedom.

Through the bars of his jail cell, the moon had risen to its peak. The prisoner didn't get up, but he opened his eyes and kept them open. Every sound of the dungeon seemed magnified and he waited patiently. Patience had never been his forte, but seven years in a dungeon can change a man in drastic ways.

The gurgling voice of a man whose throat had been slit broke the murky silence. An evil smile split his swarthy face and he ventured a glance toward the entrance of his cell. Two short, cloaked figures stared at him from behind the bars. In the moonlight, he could see the whites of their enormous eyes.

"Lord Ganondorf," said one of the witches in excitement. Koume, he thought. "We have waited so long!"

"You have had your vision, then?" Ganondorf asked, sitting up. "Otherwise you have raised suspicion for nothing!"

"Of course we have had our vision, my lord," answered the other witch, Kotake. She seemed slightly affronted. "We don't want to delay our moment of power for another seven years, either. And our spell to open the Door of Time is complete!"

"Tell me who it is, then," commanded Ganondorf, stalking towards the entrance of his cell. "Tell me the name of the Hero of Time!"

The sisters exchanged a delicious glance, and then spoke gleefully in perfect unison. "His name is Link and he lives in the Kokiri Forest!"

"At last," breathed Ganondorf. An energy blast of ice and fire demolished the lock on his door and a flare of silvery magic flickered and died. "At last." The twins threw a heavy black cloak over his shoulders and buckled a sword belt around his waist.

Ganondorf unsheathed a sword with a vicious-looking edge. "At last I shall take my revenge upon the Hero of Time. LINK!"

He ascended swiftly up the stairs with his two loyal servants on his tail, their demented, high-pitched cackling echoing through the night.

* * *

Author's note: For those who are wondering about the inconsistency of when Zelda's title of Princess is used in the narration, observe whom she is with at the time. In this story, I see Zelda and her father being fairly formal with one another, being royalty and all.

Reviews are always read and greatly appreciated!


	2. It's an uphill slope

**No Road of Flowers**

There is no road of flowers leading to glory.

--Jean de la Fonataine

**Chapter 2: It's an uphill slope**

"_Aren't you ever afraid of them?"_

"_If there are a lot of them, I have more cause to worry, but I've been fighting them for a while, and I'm getting better. That helps with fear." Link parried her blow and Zelda smiled at his modesty before lunging in again. He was better than most of the soldiers of the palace and had the most comprehensive knowledge of monsters than anyone in the kingdom. But he was humble enough to admit to uncertainty even with a monster Zelda knew he wasn't very afraid of._

"_I'm scared of them," Zelda admitted, swinging her sword in a graceful arc._

_Link slid to one side to avoid her blade and she moved in to cover the distance between them. "You?"_

"_Yes, me," Zelda said, raising her shield hurriedly and just barely parrying his thrust. "My palace duties and training in kingdom government keep me from slaying monsters and rescuing maidens. I haven't the time to learn not to be afraid, Mr. Hero of Time."_

"_Keep your knees bent. That's better. And I'm not unafraid, I just know how to defeat them."_

"_Well, even if I was experienced with fighting them, I still think I'd be scared." Zelda avoided Link's feint and got out of range._

"_Why is that?"_

"_They're too human. A Deku Baba is a plant, a Dodongo is a reptile, and a Leever is…well, not a human." Zelda watched Link's feet to see which angle he would attack from. "Stalfos were once humans. The other monsters in Hyrule are frightening, but I think it's the humanity in an enemy that will make me fear them the most. Only humans can completely recognize what a human is capable of, and twisted human beings make for a more cunning and powerful enemies once their inhibitions are gone."_

_Seeing that Link was biding his time, Zelda rushed forward. Her sword slashed down and--_

Bones and rotting flesh flew everywhere, most of it hitting and staining the once pale pink skirt of a silken dress. This small victory didn't stop the Stalchildren from bursting out of the soil and coming toward her, little arms outstretched in a sick parody of a child seeking its mother. Princess Zelda resumed her fighting stance, but the reins in her hands almost yanked her off of her feet. The King had forbidden Princess Zelda to take Alabaster to Hyrule Field at night and the stallion was getting more panicky by the minute. The princess bit her lip. The Kokiri Forest was still pretty far, but if she continued fighting Stalchildren, she would be here till morning. Also, Alabaster was getting so worked up he was likely to bolt at any moment, and she was in no mood to be stranded.

A small group of Stalchildren reached her, their eye sockets aglow with little flames and their overbites smiling hungrily. She killed the closest and got one foot up in the stirrup. She was about to swing herself astride Alabaster when one of the little monsters bit into the hem of her dress. Without even looking behind her, she swung her sword in an arc and--

_Link dodged out of the way hurriedly, and then parried another blow Zelda delt to his left side._

"_Wow. Huh. I never thought of it that way," he said, circling around. "But I guess-" he bounded forward, "because I understand what they're capable of-" he got inside her guard, "it also helps me to understand-" he knocked her shield out of the way with his own and struck her sword hand with his blade to make her drop it, "how to defeat them."_

_Zelda bit back a cry and gingerly touched her hand. It was better than she expected. Link knew how to handle a sword and her thick glove had protected it from any lasting damage. _

"_Are you all right?" Link asked, dropping his weapons and taking her hand in his. He looked so worried, so remorseful, that Zelda had to laugh._

"_You're ruthless with me in a fight but you fuss over my bruises?" Zelda teased. "Maybe I should abstain from practice when I'm injured so you won't have to suffer defeat from a fourteen year old girl."_

"_I would love to suffer defeat from you," replied Link, examining her hand. "It would mean all this practice is paying off. And until then, nothing gets you out of it. Nothing."_

"_Nothing?" Zelda raised an eyebrow. "What about death?"_

"_Doesn't stop the Stalfos, does it? C'mon, let's go again. Watch, the better you get, the less afraid you'll be of twisted human beings."_

* * *

Princess Zelda thought Alabaster would be relieved to slow down when they reached the Kokiri Forest. She was wrong. Despite her commands, her handsome, gallant Palomino bolted like a rabbit into the curious, circular entrance to the woods. She finally pulled the reins hard and he came a screeching stop on the small bridge that led to the Kokiri village.

"Wow. You definitely need to get out more," said Princess Zelda, stroking his neck to soothe him. "I'll talk to Father when we go home. I'm sure he had a reason for keeping you in."

In truth, she had wondered about the wisdom of many of the King's decisions. Although he was convinced that collecting the three Spiritual Stones and taking control of the Sacred Realm would be a guarantee of peace, she was worried. The Sacred Realm held enormous power, and something she'd been taught as a young monarch was that an excess of power was rarely anything but destructive. But she too wished for peace, so when Link had arrived at the castle on her twelfth birthday clutching the three jewels her father ordered him to find, she had accepted them graciously.

Her conviction grew stronger over time. From what she knew, Ganondorf was still in that dungeon in the mountains near Lake Hylia. He was sealed by magic, and as the years went by, there hadn't been any trouble, even a report of an unsuccessful attempt at a jailbreak.

They reached the end of the bridge. Princess Zelda put her hand against her hair to push it out of her face and then uttered a cry of disgust. Some Stalchild remains had gotten on her glove, and she realized the lower half of her pink dress had been torn and stained. One of the tears made by a particularly zealous Stalchild went all the way up to mid-thigh. What a glorious entrance she would make. Maybe Link had some spare clothes he could lend her. That is, if he'd even speak to her. Heart racing, she quickly rode Alabaster through the circular entrance.

Her mood brightened when she saw the enchanting home of the Kokiri lit by the early morning sun. Their tree stump houses, closely resembling a child's playhouse, were quaint but adorable. Having grown up in the finest the Hylian people had to offer, Princess Zelda had to admire the resourcefulness of a people who altered most of their building materials, rather than harvesting or importing them. She swung herself down and began walking toward the village.

"Hey YOU! Yeah, you! Over here, scrubhead!" Princess Zelda stopped looking from left to right and stared downward. A seemingly 10 year old child was glaring at her, hands on his hips. She had seen kings of mighty nations with less haughty expressions.

"Who gave ya permission to enter our forest?" Before the princess could open her mouth, he went on. "Or rather, who DIDN'T give ya permission to enter our forest? The Great Mido, that's who! Whaddya want, trespasser?"

Again, Princess Zelda was cut off before she could reply. A Kokiri girl with short green hair was running towards them. "MIDO! Leave Princess Zelda alone!"

"Princess? WHO's a princess? THAT is not a princess!"

"Don't call her a that!" She came to stop, panting slightly, then glared at Mido. "She's wearing a crown!"

"Ya mean that shiny headband? No way that's a crown! If I had a crown it would be big and have tons of jewels, not just a single, dinky one at the top!"

"That IS Princess Zelda's crown! Geez Mido! She was here two months ago, and you've already forgotten what she looks like? It's her crown, all right!"

It was, in fact, a tiara, but Princess Zelda decided that now was not the time to delicately point it out.

She stepped forward. "It's all right, Saria. I'm kind of filthy so I'm can see why he doesn't recognize me." She knelt in front of Mido. "Here," she said, lifting forward the golden crest of the Royal Family that lay on her chest. "Do you believe me now?" she asked gently.

Mido turned his nose up at the symbol of her family. "That glittery piece of metal? How do I know it isn't some fake you made, or stole from the castle?"

"Mido!" exclaimed Saria exasperatedly.

"Very astute." Princess Zelda hesitated, but then pulled out a small bundle wrapped in linen. She didn't like showing it around if she could help it, but ignoring the protocol of the Kokiri's boss didn't exactly establish goodwill between the Hylians and the Kokiri. She pulled a corner of cloth loose and a small golden Triforce gleamed.

"What's that?" demanded Mido, looking closer.

"It's the Ocarina of Time," answered the princess softly. "It's the royal treasure the Hylian princess keeps hidden. No one knows about it but her."

"Then if ya have this ocarina…" sudden realization lit up his face, "YOU must be Princess Zelda of Hyrule!"

"That's right!" she beamed. "But no one must no know about this ocarina or Hyrule will be in great danger. Can I count on you to keep it a secret?"

"Ya bet, sister! Any bad guy who asks about it won't get anything from me!" Mido struck a heroic pose and Princess Zelda applauded. Saria giggled, and then took one of the princess' hands.

"Mido, I'm going to show her the new flowers in my garden. Are you going to keep guarding the gate?"

"'Course I am! I'm gonna protect our village! Anyone who tries to hurt the Kokiri will have to deal with the Great Mido first!" More heroic posing.

"Good, that makes me feel safer," said Saria, leading Princess Zelda away.

"It does? Really?!" Mido was so eager, he tripped over a small bush and fell flat on his face.

Saria giggled again and tugged Princess Zelda's hand. "It's all right, it'll take more than that to faze him," she said confidentially as they walked further into the village. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, just ragged," answered the princess self-consciously. She was getting many stares by the Kokiri, though whether it was because she was so tall compared to them or because her dress was a disaster seemed to vary by person. The two girls took a right and Princess Zelda saw Saria's house and the tall stump that was Link's house. A lump formed in her throat.

"We're almost there! Once we're in my house, I'll clean you up. Oh yeah!" Saria whirled around so quickly the other girl fell back a few steps. "I heard you and Link broke up!"

Suddenly, the ground was rather interesting to look at. "W-we did."

Huge, hurt eyes stared up at her. "Why, Zelda? Don't you love him anymore?"

Princess Zelda's hurried cry of "Yes!" caught in her throat when she saw Saria's sad little face. The Kokiri had the hearts (and as seen in Mido's fine example, the minds) of children, and Saria's was particularly tender. The princess knelt down and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Yes I do. I love him very much. That's why I came back. To tell him."

Saria still looked troubled. "He was really upset, Zelda. I've never seen him so upset before."

"Upset?" asked Princess Zelda, trying to sound casual and failing utterly. "How upset?"

"REALLY upset," answered Saria simply, starting to walk down the grassy slope.

"…ah. Um, did he say anything about me?"

"He said that you and him aren't together anymore."

"…did he say anything else about me?" Princess Zelda asked timidly.

Saria stopped and tipped her head to one side. "No, not that I remember. He was really busy throwing clothes and stuff into bags. He wanted to leave the forest and go somewhere else for a while."

"Did he say where?"

"When I asked him, he said, 'Anywhere. Far away.'"

The princess sighed and her shoulders slumped. Not only did his response make her feel irrepressibly guilty, it also failed to narrow down where in Hyrule he might be. Saria saw her forlorn expression and then walked over and solemnly hugged one of her legs. Deeply touched by the childlike gesture, Princess Zelda removed a glove and lightly stroked Saria's emerald green hair.

"Saria?"

The familiar voice caused both Saria's and Princess Zelda's heads to jerk up, one delighted, one terrified.

Standing on the balcony of his stump house, was Link.

"Link!" Saria scurried up the ladder, and the once-Kokiri hugged his oldest friend. "You're back, you're back!"

"I know," answered Link, laughing. "I got back last night. I rode late and slept in this morning."

"Where's Epona?"

"She's near the entrance to the Lost Woods. She's tired, and since no one but you and I really go over there, I thought she'd be able to get some rest undisturbed."

"I was worried about you! You were gone for a really long time!"

"I'm sorry Saria," said Link sincerely, lowering Saria to the ground again. "I needed to get away for a while."

As if those words were an unintentional signal, both Saria and Link simultaneously turned their heads and looked at Princess Zelda, who seemed to shrink several inches into the ground. Link's well-rested demeanor, his fresh clothing, and his brushed hair made her feel even more aware of the tangles in her own, as well as her ripped and grimy clothing. She fearfully searched his face for a sign of anger at her prescence or disgust at her appearance. Nothing. Link's handsome face was neutral, almost expressionless except for a trace of curiousity.

She raised her hand, dropped it, pulled at the tear in her dress, opened her mouth to speak, closed it when she couldn't find the words. Link removed his cap, but didn't seem to know what to say either.

The Kokiri Saria was, perhaps, not so childlike after all. Her eyes slid from Princess Zelda, to Link, then back to the princess, and when it was clear no one was going to say anything, she clapped her hands loudly. Both Hylians jumped.

"Wow!" Saria exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "_Two_ friends came back to the Kokiri Forest to visit today! This calls for a celebration!"

She hopped over to the ladder, and climbed down.

"I'm going to pick some fresh food from my plot!" she called as she ran back up the slope. "I've got black mushrooms for Link and red potatoes for Zelda! It'll be a feast, I promise!"

Link and Princess Zelda watched Saria run off until she disappeared, and then slowly turned and faced one another again. A pause. Link scratched the back of his neck, and then in one cat-like movement he bent his knees and jumped lightly to the ground. Princess Zelda bit her lip as he came toward her.

"You look well," she finally blurted out. _Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid…_

"You don't," Link replied softly. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm not hurt," the princess answered hastily. Used to her habit of not wanting to trouble him over trivialities, Link's eyes flickered over her form before he nodded an acknowledgment.

"I've got some spare clothing."

"I don't want to impose-"

"It's no trouble at all."

Silence. Link began to turn back towards the ladder and Princess Zelda reached out a hand.

"Link!"

Spinning around, he said, "I can't—"

"I'm sor—" she began. A beam of light, coming down at lightning speed, hit Link hard. Princess Zelda shielded her eyes from the blinding flash with her hand and when she removed it, Link was encased in a giant, transparent pink crystal. His long green cap lay lonesomely on the ground.

Princess Zelda's jaw dropped, and then she ran forward and pounded on the crystal. "What IS this?" she cried out. "Link! LINK!!"

Link pressed his hands against the crystal, his mouth moving frantically. Princess Zelda realized the crystal completely muffled all sound. One of her long, slender ears flicked towards an ominous high-pitched sound above her and she dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a column of angry orange flames and needle-fine ice shards.

Deep, triumphant laughter rang out and Princess Zelda snapped her head towards the sky. Levitating high in the air, with the Twinrova witches flying in dizzing circles around his feet, was the Lord Ganondorf.

"Hero of Time!" he roared, throwing out his arms out in mock welcome. "Your capture ushers in the reign of King Ganondorf!"

"Long live the Evil King!" the witches shrieked in a unison that reeked of prior rehearsal.

Princess Zelda gasped and looked around frantically for a weapon. Her sheathed sword and her shield were hanging from Alabaster's saddle; she'd have to run past Ganondorf to get it. Link's weapons were presumably up the ladder and in his house, and the idea of the sticks and rocks as effective projectiles was laughable. She slowly lifted her head back up.

The perfect smugness of Ganondorf's smirk was nausea-inducing. He stroked his chin and chuckled.

"And could this be…Princess Zelda?" he exclaimed dramatically. "It's been, give me a moment…seven years! Seven long years _since I've last seen you. OH THE MEMORIES._"

Despite herself, the princess took a step back.

"And look at you now! What an extraordinarily _fitting_ sight," he sneered. Princess Zelda's eyebrow twitched, but she refrained from retorting. Ganondorf reached out an armored hand and the pink crystal and its cargo began to rise. Link yelled, hands splayed against the sides of the prison while Princess Zelda pelted towards it, stretching out her hand. The tips of their fingers met briefly against the pink surface, and then the crystal shot over to hover in front of Ganondorf.

"So this is the legendary Hero of Time," he mused. Link stared evenly back at him. His fists were clenched, but that was the only hint that he might possibly be tense about being trapped in a prison suspended in the air by an enemy who had every reason to destroy him. Ganondorf began to laugh his deep, bellowing laugh again. "You're just a kid! Living in a stump! How could I have lost to a nobody like you?!"

Princess Zelda closed her eyes. It would take a couple minutes, but hopefully Ganondorf would be too busy listening to himself gloat to notice the helpless little princess on the ground. Magical power began to flow into her palms.

"Well, Hero of Time! Show me your power!" Ganondorf jeered. "Show me the power that defeated my magic and crumbled my reign of evil, _Link!_"

The Gerudo witches were besides themselves with laughter. Anger surged like a wave in Princess Zelda's chest, causing the magic at her hands to flicker. Then she saw Link's face. His expression remained defiant but calm, and his courage made her pause.

Stop. Anger was a trap. Deep breath. The light began to flow again.

"I'd kill you now, but I only destroy true and viable threats," the villain continued. He tilted his head, smiling thoughtfully. "I think I'll keep you around. Any magic you use in that crystal will destroy you. Once I have conquered all of Hyrule, I will relish the despair on your face, and then, who knows? Perhaps your shadow will come in handy."

The Princess Zelda opened her eyes. It was time. She raised her hands, dazzling with the magical light pulsing from her palms.

Only one shot would contain the element of surprise. She went for the jugular.

The light began its flight as a fine rope and as it picked up momentum, the tip honed itself to a fine point. At the very last moment, Ganondorf noticed the small, shining ray and jerked his neck to the side. It missed his jugular veins, but cut a deep slice into his neck. His yell swiftly subsided to a gurgling noise as a fine spray of bright red blood gushed from the wound.

The screams of the Twinrova witches were chilling. Kotake shot a small clump of ice at his neck where it melded to the wound and stopped the bleeding. Koume turned on Princess Zelda and blasted fire at her. The princess dove for the ground to avoid the flames, but the longest edge of her torn silk dress caught on fire. She managed to beat it out while shooting a pink spiral of light back at the hag.

Koume easily dodged it, but didn't retaliate. She flew over to her sister, who was examining Ganondorf's wound. Kotake whirled around in fury at Princess Zelda.

"You little vermin! The magic is poisoning him!"

Koume gasped, and Princess Zelda watched them warily. If the magic affected Ganondorf the way it affected normal beings, he would be dead within three minutes. But she was familiar with healing magic as well, and Kotake's ice clump couldn't be ordinary frozen water.

Kotake scooted backwards on her broom and used the tip to prod Ganondorf's limp, still-suspended body through the air. As she flew away speedily, Koume did the same with Link's crystal. She turned around and her two perfectly round eyes glared hatefully at the princess.

"Your father is a fool!" she hissed, before jetting off.

Princess Zelda watched them go, wondering at the randomness of the witch's insult. Suddenly, it all came together and she let out a little scream of horror.

They were heading towards the Temple of Time.

If the Sacred Realm was what they were after, she didn't know how they planned to enter it without the Ocarina of Time, but at any rate, she couldn't let them get at the Spiritual Stones. She began to run, then stopped and removed her belt where the ocarina was tied. It would be downright foolish to bring it along. She hid it in a pot in Saria's house, then sprinted towards her horse. The village looked almost abandoned. Most of the Kokiri had either retreated into their homes or run deeper into the forest. She pelted past an empty Kokiri Shop and felt a few pairs of eyes watching her from the doorway of the Know-It-All Brothers' house.

She found Alabaster unharmed but nervous by the village's exit. She was about to swing herself up when a little hand grabbed the singed hem of her dress.

"Let me go!" she cried. Turning around, she saw Mido looking frantic.

"Where's Saria?" he demanded. "I can't find her!"

"I don't know! I have to leave, now!" Princess Zelda pulled herself out of his grasp and swung astride her stallion. She galloped off at a breakneck pace. If she'd had the chance to look behind her, she would have seen fear on Mido's face for the first time.


	3. Though the road may wander

**No Road of Flowers**

Author's warning: Fairly graphic description of blood and death ahead. If you are averse to such things, please either proceed with caution or skip this chapter.

**Chapter 3: Though the road may wander  
**

She didn't make it.

Riding faster than she had thought possible didn't stop the Twinrova sisters from entering the temple door. Dashing across the drawbridge and hurtling through the astonished crowd in the marketplace didn't stop the witches from singing a high-pitched incantation while simultaneously sending tar-black strands of magic that slithered and clenched around the Door of Time. Whispering prayer after prayer to every spirit she knew of didn't stop the Door of Time from crumbling or the dying Gerudo King from dragging himself into the sacred chamber of the Master Sword.

When she finally arrived at the Temple of Time the two Twinrova sisters were flying in a complex pattern near the temple's entrance. Ganondorf and Link were nowhere to be seen. They began cackling when they saw the princess arriving. She held up her shield and sword, but they just cackled some more and continued weaving around each other.

"King Ganondorf is about to enter the Sacred Realm!" they cried triumphantly to Princess Zelda.

"You know he can't! He doesn't have the Ocarina of Time!" she yelled back. "It's the only thing that can open it and it's been lost for ages!"

"The Ocarina can open the Door of Time--" agreed Koume.

Kotake flew in front of her. "But so can spells developed over seven years."

Princess Zelda hesitated, unsure of whether to believe them. Surely the Door of Time was more powerful than that… "Where's Link?" she demanded.

"The Hero of Time fell easily under our hypnosis," Kotake laughed.

Koume flew a loop. "He's probably pulling the Master Sword out as we speak!"

Princess Zelda sheathed her sword, leapt off of Alabaster and rushed inside the Temple. The two witches slowed to a hover, smiling predatorily as they watched her go.

The air inside the Temple of Time was cool and clear on her face and her almost bare legs. Princess Zelda had often entered the temple when she was stressed because of the calming effect it perpetually produced. The steady, tranquil atmosphere of the Temple of Time let one get a better sense of the flow of time, which helps put things into perspective.

Unfortunately, there was no way to put the broken stone that was once the Door of Time into perspective. The princess ran forward and up the steps, barely registering the glow from the three Spiritual Stones. Panting, she stared in horror as a too-familiar figure wearing a green tunic placed both hands on the hilt of the Master Sword and began to pull.

"NO!" She dashed forward and tried to push Link off away, but his hands held fast. She placed her hands over the pommel of the sword and pushed down, using her leverage to keep the sword from slipping out. Gritting her teeth, she turned her head towards Link and a shiver went down her spine when she saw the blank expression on his face. He did indeed appear to be brainwashed, and up close his bright blue eyes looked violet…

"Link, wake up! It's me, Zelda!" she shouted. "Stop! You can't open the Sacred Realm!"

"I won't be," said a voice that might have been Link's if it weren't dripping with malice. Her head snapped up and she found herself staring into a pair of violet eyes that were swiftly turning red. Like a fire spreading from inside out, darkness crept over Link's hair and clothing until she found herself face to face with someone who, except for the perverse smile on his face, could pass for Link on a moonless night.

"Nice legs," he grinned. Princess Zelda's eyes widened, and then he grabbed her wrists and wrenched them down. When her hands were near the grip of the sword, he closed them around it and yanked the sacred blade from its pedestal.

The flash of brilliant energy that typically accompanies the opening of a rift between worlds shot up from the perimeter of the pedestal. As soon as the light touched him, the dark Link vanished and all Princess Zelda could see was brightness.

So much pure and powerful white light.

Gently but powerfully, like the current of the ocean, she felt the magic in her veins begin to resonate with the essence of the Holy Realm. The resonance began in her toes and fingertips and climbed upward until she could feel her heart, her very core, sing with with exultation. Her hair swirled around her as if she was suspended in water, and her eyes closed. It was the sweetest agony she had ever felt, as well as strangely reaffirming. The bond between the magic in her blood and the magic of the Holy Realm seemed to croon to her, saying that she was a daughter of the Goddesses, a true Hylian, and this would always be so. It also whispered that she possessed strength that could overcome any hardship, and that she would come to know it in the trials ahead of her.

Princess Zelda reached out arms, hands spread, wishing the moment would never end…then her eyes snapped open.

_Wait, trials?_

Suddenly, she found her feet on a floor of some sort. She had to assume it was a floor, since her surroundings were no less white, but she could see no dimensions or borders of any sort around her. The only thing she could see was the golden Triforce shining in the air twenty feet away from her and the dark figure of Ganondorf staggeringly relentlessly towards it from the other side. He reached out his hand and his dark fingers touched the perimeter of the Sacred Triangle.

She was too far away. She didn't have a hope, but what choice did she have? She ran.

~*~*~*~

The air inside the Temple of Time had a burnt smell to it, although there was no sign of smoke nor of fire. Princess Zelda sat up groggily, wincing as she felt several muscles sulkily inform her that she would feel a lot worse tomorrow morning. Struggling to regain her lucidity, she looked around the chamber. Ganondorf was gone. The twisted, dark copy of Link was gone. She was alone.

But her sixth sense was signaling to her of _something's_ presence, and her sixth sense was never wrong. She slowly moved her eyes from every corner of the room, to the window where sunlight was streaming on the empty Pedestal of Time…

Princess Zelda's eyes widened. Down near her legs was the gleaming blade of the Master Sword.

_Only one worthy of becoming the Hero of Time can hold the Master Sword…_

Link…she needed Link. The image of Link trapped in the crystal flashed through her mind and she began to stand up. Except for Ganondorf, she was the most powerful magician in Hyrule. She ran through the Temple of Time. She'd free Link with her magic and they'd return to get the Master Sword so he could defeat Ganondorf.

When she arrived outside of the temple, she was surprised to see the Twinrova sisters still there. Kotake was muttering incantations over Ganondorf, who was lying on the ground. His breathing was shallow and his eyes were glazed.

_Is my magic still killing him?_ The princess wondered. _What happens when the one who possesses the Sacred Realm dies?_

Koume saw her and nudged her sister. Princess Zelda found the two sets of huge, slightly deranged eyes fixed themselves upon herself and she called a pink sphere of energy to her hand. But despite the threat, neither of the witches attacked, just continued to stare disconcertingly.

"Is your leader near death? Will you fight?" she called.

"Brash little thing to take on the Twinrova sisters all by herself, isn't she Kotake?" Koume said, her voice eerily devoid of its usual cackle.

"Quite right you are, Koume," Kotake answered, her broom rising in the air so she was side-by-side with her twin. "Our mighty leader is not dying, little girl. However," she spread her hands in a shrug. "He is not up to ruling his new kingdom at the moment. He must heal first."

Koume flew over to Ganondorf and gently closed his eyes. Immediately, his breathing deepened and his head lay to one side.

"Stop where you are," Koume commanded, shooting a fireball at the princess as she flew back to her sister. Princess Zelda dodged it, but did not lower the hand aimed at Ganondorf, where pink strands of energy in the shape of ropes were swaying lazily around.

"You would kill a prone enemy?" Kotake sneered.

"I was about to capture him," answered Princess Zelda calmly.

"Well, you might want to rethink that," hissed Koume, raising her own hand. The pink crystal prison levitated over to them and Princess Zelda felt a rush of relief at seeing Link suspended in the crystal, unharmed and…unpossessed?

Seeing her surprise, the two witches snickered. "You didn't confront the real Hero of Time," Koume crowed. "His shadow tricked you, tricked you perfectly!"

"Guess your hypnosis doesn't work so well, then," Princess Zelda said, raising an eyebrow.

Kotake glared. "Our hypnosis works wonderfully, thank you very much. This little runt just happens to have a stronger will than most."

The princess felt a rush of pride for Link, but didn't have time to relish the feeling. She transformed the magical ropes into spears and hurled them at the bottom of the crystal.

"Oh no you don't!" screamed Koume, jerking her hand into the air. The crystal flew up to avoid the spears and the momentum caused Link to hit his head against the one of its sides. Princess Zelda winced.

Koume flew up to hover above the prison and Kotake joined her, Ganondorf suspended in the air in front of her broom.

"Enough of this! We must ready the kingdom for its new ruler. Oh ho ho ho ho ho!"

As they began flying away, Princess Zelda swung astride Alabaster and took off. She didn't bother watching the sky; it was painfully obvious that they were heading towards the castle.

~*~*~*~

Ever since she was fast enough to sneak away from the guards (which was about seven years old), the Princess Zelda had conducted bold and daring expeditions of Hyrule Castle and Hyrule Castle Town. Her original intent was to become the supreme explorer of the world, but after the first eight or so times she had been caught and scolded for putting herself in danger, settling for becoming the supreme explorer of her nation's capital seemed wisest.

As the years went by, the expeditions continued (with Link's frequent assistance) and resulted in excruciatingly comprehensive knowledge of ins and outs both public and secret. But as with all great treasures, she had bought this knowledge at a price. Many a cheerful, sunny day had been spent inside helping the servants clean the palace because she had miscalculated how long her father would notice before she was gone, or how angry he would be when she finally returned. Many a warm, inviting night had been spent reading volume after volume of Hyrulian history instead of running around the evening festivals with Link.

It had been a price, all right, but the stupefied expressions when she arrived in the throne room seconds after the Twinrova witches--"Did she just come out of the _floor_?" demanded Kotake in utter disbelief--made it all well worth it.

Princess Zelda couldn't help grinning as she pushed the trap door all the way open and pulled herself up onto the floor. She shot a couple small blasts in the witches' direction as she sprinted over to stand in front of her shocked father and king.

"How in the world did she get here the same time as us?" demanded Koume.

"I have my ways," the princess answered, shrugging. In truth, there was an absolutely exhausted Alabaster out by the moat right now, and while the Gerudo sorceresses had been dealing with the guards at the upper levels of the palace, she had been groping her way up a narrow tunnel, praying that she was remembering the correct number of turns before she reached the trap door to the throne room.

Princess Zelda drew her sword. "Let Link go!"

The Twinrova witches stared at her. "Do you honestly think we'll do that?"

"Ganondorf has already obtained the Triforce. What more could you want with him?" she demanded.

Kotake cackled. "Doesn't the little pest know the legend of the Hero of Time? Only Link can hold the Master Sword. Only an idiot would release the sole person who can bring down our Lord Ganondorf's reign of evil!"

Princess Zelda, who had been hoping that they were idiots, let out an imperceptible sigh. Then she opened fire.

The Hylian King yelled and ducked as magical flashes of fire-orange, ice-blue, and bright pink flew and ricocheted around the room. Princess Zelda could hold her own in a magical duel, but she was outnumbered two against one. As a blast of flame forced her back a few paces, she quickly scanned the room. Where on earth were the guards? And she didn't see Ganondorf nor Link. Had the witches left their prisoners on a palisade or a battlement while they were trying to get in?

Suddenly, Kotake nosedived toward the King, screeching like a hawk. A sheet of ice bloomed in front of her, becoming a tidal wave as it approached the King. Princess Zelda's heart sank. There was no way she was going to be able to stop a flow of ice that large. She launched the biggest spiral of energy she could at it, but the wave didn't falter. Relentlessly, ruthlessly, it paused a fraction of a second, and then collapsed upon the King.

"NOOOO!" the princess screamed. "FATHER!!"

"Father, Father!" Koume mocked while Kotake screamed with laughter. Princess Zelda ran over to the block of ice where the King stared out from sightless eyes. Angry tears running down her cheeks, she whirled around to face the witches and her eyes widened as the deadly glitter of ice sped towards her. At the very last second, she formed a shield of pink magic around herself. The ice hit her like, well, a barrage of ice, but she was remained alive and had the good sense to play dead while the witches flew victory laps around the room.

"The kingdom is ours!" screeched Kotake.

"The kingdom is Ganondorf's," corrected Koume, flying a loop around her.

"The kingdom is Ganondorf's and ours!"

Koume waved her hand and the unconscious form of Ganondorf and the crystal-encased Link appeared in the throne room.

"Did you see the princess looking around for these two?" cackled Koume. "What an irritating little pest she was! Should we kill her and the King?"

"Tempting," answered Kotake, flying down to check on Ganondorf. "But he wanted to keep the Hero of Time around, so he may want to keep these two as well. If nothing else, we can brainwash them later and make them scrub floors!"

"Take out the garbage!"

"Clean the toilets! Ohohohohoho!" The witches flew another lap. Princess Zelda hoped her annoyed expression would translate as distress.

Suddenly a side entrance to the throne room burst open. Instead of a slew of guards, Alabaster galloped through, whinnying valiantly. He saw Princess Zelda and hurtled towards her. A large, razor-sharp disc of ice formed in Kotake's hands and she shot it at the Palomino. It gained acceleration as it spun toward the horse and cut cleanly through his neck like a knife through butter. His head flew into the air, spinning like a top and spraying blood all over the room.

Princess Zelda's face blanched as the steaming hot blood splattered against her ice block. Through the scarlet drips that ran down the frosty surface, she saw her beloved horse's head land on the cold stone of the room ten feet away while Koume and Kotake shrieked their evil laughter.

"Ohohohohoho! Well, Koume, I think it's high time to go before any other dumb beasts come to ruin our fun!"

"Ah, but before we go, remember Lord Ganondorf's plans?"

"We'll take care of that later. Right now, we have to scry who the Sages are so that we may dispose of them as well!"

"Good thinking, sister." Koume snapped her fingers, making Link and Ganondorf vanish again, and then grinned maniacally. "There is nothing more fun than corruption!"

"Indeed! Ohohohohohohoooo!" The witches flew out out of the door Alabaster had entered through and a ringing silence descended upon the throne room.

Princess Zelda waited until she felt it was safe, and then sent waves of pink magic that began to melt the back of her ice block. It was hard work, but slowly and steadily, the ice melted into a freezing puddle of water and the princess staggered out of her glacial enclosure.

The first thing she did was run to her father and check his vitals with her magic. The magic in the ice was, incredibly, keeping him alive somehow. Not for the first time that day, she was thankful for the usurpers' desire to gloat. She put her hands on the ice and was about to push forward when her probing magic felt human flesh and she yanked her hand back in horror. Because he didn't have a magical shield, she would not be able to extract him from the ice without burning him so badly that he would die.

Her hands fell from the ice to dangle at her sides as reality sank in like an anvil through water. She had failed. Her father was imprisoned. Link was imprisoned. She could save herself, but not the people she cared for.

Her poise finally cracked and she slammed a fist against the ice. From what little Link had told her of his adventure as the Hero of Time, everything was unraveling the way it had then. _When am I going to do things right? _

She felt her eyes fill with tears and then Impa's words came back to her from when she was six years old and had scraped her knee, "Is crying going to stop the bleeding? Hold still while I apply this salve." Princess Zelda took a shuddering breath and then angrily wiped them away. Her father's debilitation meant that she was now the sole member of the Royal Family left. It was up to her to organize a resistance to the Gerudo usurpers and free Link so that he may weild the Master Sword once more. She turned back to the ice blocks.

"I'm sorry, Father," she said quietly to the frozen king. "I'll get you out of here. I promise."

Turning around with great apprehension, she gazed at the decapitated head of Alabaster. A large pool of blood had flowed from the great neck and soaked into its creamy mane. Slowly, sorrowfully, she knelt by it.

"Alabaster," she said gently. "You came to save me, didn't you?"

Princess Zelda was a monarch-in-waiting and she knew the price of being protected, but that didn't make it hurt any less sometimes. Alabaster had not been bred for battle and had all the survival instincts of any mammal, but now, when he had every reason to bolt, he had rushed to defend her anyway.

She held up a finger with a spark of white light and waved it, closing the horse's eyes. Then she stood up, biting her lip. She couldn't stay here, but she knew the witches would return and register her absence. If they thought she was still a prisoner, she could construct a plan on how to find them and stop their plot without worrying about being hunted at the same time. She could do it…but she needed a decoy.

Feeling sickened and a little guilty, she turned back to the dead body of her horse and extended a hand. The head and the body raised into the air and realigned themselves. She closed her eyes and concentrated. The next task would take all of her will, but if it succeeded, she could kill two birds with one stone. She channeled her energy into magic and wove a glimmering cloth around the corpse. The cloth solidified into one sheet and the sheet transfigured into a replica of herself, complete with a ruined dress and startled expression. Gasping, she almost lost her mental hold of the body, but managed to catch it before it hit the ground.

"I'm sorry, Alabaster," she muttered, levitating her decoy into the ice block. "After this is all over, you'll get a decent burial."

After freezing the puddle of water back into the wall of the ice block, she ran over to a wall near the doorway the Twinrova Sisters left through and kicked a few stones near the doorframe. A narrow doorway swung open and she slid sideways into a dark, dank tunnel. She rarely used this secret passageway, even though it was ideal for spying. Judging by the shapes and angles of the various slits and holes in the wall on her left, she had long suspected it to be built for assassins. With a shudder, she set off to find reinforcements.

~*~*~*~

She found some of her guards.

They were scattered through hallways, many either impaled by ice shards or burned so badly Princess Zelda had to avert her eyes before she became sick. There were more ice blocks containing soldiers, but since the ice tsunami was a high energy spell, there were only a couple of them. The rest were either dead or…missing?

_Where are the they?_ she thought frantically. _And where's Impa?!_ Had the Twinrova Sisters transfigured them into anything? They didn't seem to have qualms about murder, but so far she had only seen a handful of bodies. What had the Twinrova Sisters done with them?

It would probably be a while before she found out; from what her magic could sense, the witches were long gone. What had Kotake said? "Scry who the Sages are so that we may dispose of them as well." Zelda's stomach sank. Link had remembered all of his adventure in the future-that-was-not-to-come, but after they had defeated Ganondorf after his return, he had since refused to tell her any specifics of the future. When asked, Link had simply said that the other grown-up Princess Zelda had sent him back to live his missing years and now that the kingdom was safe from Ganondorf, they should continue to live life to the best of their ability, not according to a destiny that hadn't arrived yet.

Princess Zelda had never resented those words quite as much as she did now.

Where could she find the Sages? They all had their own temples, but the only temple she knew about was the Temple of Time…

She gasped. The Master Sword! She had left it laying near the Pedestal of Time! She knew the witches couldn't touch it themselves, but maybe they'd find a way to steal it and make sure Link would never get his hands on it.

She began to run, praying that for once today, she'd be able to prevent a disaster.

~*~*~*~

Princess Zelda's lungs were burning and there was a stitch on each of her sides when she finally dragged herself up the steps of the temple. When she went to the stables to get a horse and to find anyone who could tell her exactly what the Twinrova Sisters had done to her guards, she found every living thing inside turned to stone. The witches had struck again. She realized being trapped in her ice crystal might have actually saved her from being caught off-guard and becoming more permanently trapped. She tried to change them, but she was unfamiliar with the strands of magic that formed the stone and she didn't have time to decipher them.

With no other transportation than her own two legs, it was much, much longer before she finally arrived at her destination. The sun had begun to set in a fireplay of orange and gold. She really needed to visit Lon Lon Ranch and borrow a horse from Talon and Malon. Heart pounding, she opened the door.

The acrid burning smell had receded, but the cool atmosphere utterly failed to calm her. She looked wildly around for any sign of the Twinrova sisters, but the temple was empty. She walked over to the Pedestal of Time and once she saw that the Master Sword was safe, she collapsed.

Using more magic in a day than she had in her life, chasing the Gerudo usurpers, entering otherworldy realms, and a colossal amount of _stress_ had taken its toll on her body and her mind. The only thing she could bear to think of was rest. She closed her eyes. Just ten minutes. Ten minutes of rest and then she'd leave to find help so she could go save Link.

Just ten minutes…

_Get up._

"No," she muttered, rolling over.

_Get up._

"_No."_

_I said GET UP._

"_I SAID NO!"_ Princess Zelda flew up in a sitting position, her eyes wild and irate. Then she gasped when she saw a stout old man with a heavy aura of magic staring down at her. He had a bald head, a thick moustache, and an unimpressed expression. She scrambled to her feet and stared at the colorful medallions surrounding the platform they were on.

"What—where am I?"

"You are in the Light Temple. I have called you here because you have a mission. A mission as the Hero of Time."

"The Hero—no!" Princess Zelda cried. "Forgive me, but you must be mistaken. The Hero of Time is Link, and he's captured. I have to go save him—"

"You shall," Rauru interrupted with a touch of impatience. "You shall as Hero of Time."

"But Link is the Hero of Time! Koume and Kotake scryed to find out who it was and it was him, not me."

"No, Princess Zelda," Rauru said a little more gently. "The witches are mistaken. Link is not the only person who may become the Hero of Time. According to Legend, a hero chosen by the goddesses will awaken the sages. That hero was to be a child of destiny…but you are a princess of destiny. You too have been chosen by the goddesses. Look!"

Princess Zelda raised her right hand up where the golden symbol of the Triforce glowed. The left triangle was the brightest of the three.

The princess stared at Rauru in shock. "Does this mean that Ganondorf _doesn't_ have control of the Sacred Realm?"

"Ganondorf's heart was dark and unbalanced and he did not gain divine authority. The sacred triangle split into three parts. You have the Triforce of Wisdom upon your right hand. It is your duty to take up the Master Sword and defeat the evil that has crept upon this world."

Princess Zelda reached down and tentitavely grasped the holy blade. She lifted it in wonder. It was heavier than she was used to and she marveled at its craftsmanship. The cross-guard was in the shape of wings and the golden symbol of the Triforce was near the hilt. It fit in her hand as if it were made for her.

But it wasn't.

She walked over to Rauru and held out the sword. He raised his sharp eyebrows and she bowed her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm a princess, not a hero."

"The two are not mutually exclusive."

"But I have the Triforce of Wisdom! Impa said that the three pieces of the Triforce were Wisdom, Power, and Courage. Shouldn't I have the Triforce of Courage if I'm supposed to be the Hero of Time?"

"I admit I am not certain. But I think it is pertinent to note that the Triforce of Courage is a part of Link, not necessarily the Hero of Time. You are not Link…and yet the Master Sword allowed you to grasp it. It chose _you_, Princess Zelda."

Princess Zelda looked helplessly at the sword in her hand. "What should I do?"

"There are six sages who preside over dominions of Hyrule. They will aid the Hero of Time and banish the evil from this world. They have not yet awoken, and I am worried for I feel darkness shrouding the temples. You must go awaken them and obtain their power so that you can defeat Ganondorf!"

"I have to warn my people—"

"No, Princess Zelda. If you do, even through a messenger, the witches will know you are alive. You must keep yourself hidden."

"Won't they notice when I've awoken the Sages?"

"Once the Sages have come into their power, they will find ways to shield their presence. What is most important is that you accomplish this mission swiftly and restore Hyrule."

The weight of what Princess Zelda had to do bore down on her and she slowly sat down on the floor of the elegant blue platform. Rauru blinked, but when he saw that she had no intention of getting up anytime soon, he sat down next to her. The princess held her head in her hands, the events of the day flashing by in her mind.

"Rauru?" she whispered without looking up.

"Yes?"

"Why did Ganondorf get to the Triforce before me? I thought I entered the Sacred Realm first."

"You did, indeed. And that was his intention. You see, Ganondorf cannot touch the Master Sword for he does not have what it takes to become the Hero of Time. He needed someone who did. He knew that Link was one, but when he and the witches could not force Link to willingly pull the Master Sword out, they decided to try and trick someone who could. They succeeded, and only one person is supposed to enter the Sacred Realm at a time. Once you enter, you hear the voice of the Goddesses who examine your heart and soul and mind before you may approach the Triforce. But because you entered the Sacred Realm first, he was able to bypass the calling of the Goddesses and get a headstart."

"I can't believe this. I can't believe they tricked me!" She held up her right hand with its glowing Triforce piece. "Why was I given this? I don't deserve it!"

"Do you think that the wise are infallible? True wisdom is not just intelligence, it includes knowledge of your weaknesses and the ability to learn from them."

Princess Zelda turned her face towards his. Her blue eyes looked a little lighter. Rauru nodded.

"And anyhow, the Triforce piece chooses the holder who believes in its ideal the most and is the most likely to carry it out into the world. You have much to learn, Princess Zelda, but I have no doubt that your own wisdom aided by the power of the goddesses will see you to the end of your journey."

The princess smiled. "You sound like the magic in the Sacred Realm."

"Hardly surprising, considering my proximity to it."

Princess Zelda slowly stood up and Rauru quickly joined her. She lifted the Master Sword, which didn't feel quite so heavy anymore, and clasped it in front of her, tip facing down.

"Tell me what I must do."

~*~*~*~

Reviews are always read and greatly appreciated.


	4. To embrace my fate

Author's note: I know the correct term for a female hero is "heroine", but I'm keeping the terms "Hero of Time" and "hero" for stylistic purposes. Onward.

**No Road of Flowers**

**Chapter 4: To embrace my fate**

Princess Zelda opened her eyes. She lay on the Pedestal of Time, holy light shining down upon her in a single beam. From what she could see from the window, the sky still seemed to be shot through with the gold of sunset, just like the day she left.

Just like the day she left…

~*~*~*~

"_In the heart of the Lost Woods rests the Forest Temple. One of the Sages awaits the awakening call of the Sacred Realm. It is up to you to free her from the evil power that is suppressing her."_

"_Very well," answered Princess Zelda, trying not to think about the heavy exhaustion that weighed down her mind and body. "I'll travel back to the Kokiri Forest—"_

"_Actually," Rauru interrupted, "You must go to Kakariko Village. There is an item you need there to enter the Temple."_

_Princess Zelda's face lit up. "Kakariko Village? Rauru, please tell me, is Impa there?"_

_Rauru stared at her. "Impa? Who is Impa?"_

"_She's my attendant, but she's been missing! She's in charge of Kakariko Village; do you know if she's there?"_

"_I am sorry, Princess. I have been watching you and the events connected to the Sacred Realm, but I can't even decipher the identities of the Sages, much less the movements of anyone else."_

"_Oh." Her excitement subsided. "Impa has told me legends about the Triforce that even the Royal Family didn't know. I was hoping she might somehow be connected to all of this."_

"_It is not probable. But if she is in charge of Kakariko Village, she may be there. I cannot say for certain."_

_Princess Zelda nodded. Rauru placed his hand over the pommel of the Master Sword. "Go Princess Zelda, Hero of Time. Awaken the Sages and save Hyrule!"_

"_I will." She bowed her head. "Ah, Rauru?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Is all of me, my spirit and physical form, within the Temple of Light? No one can enter the Temple of Time and hurt me or steal the Master Sword?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Then would you mind if I rest here? Just for a little while?"_

_The Sage of Light blinked and then the ends of his bushy mustache turned up ever so slightly._

"_Not at all."_

~*~*~*~

Princess Zelda gingerly sat up and looked around the chamber. The magical essence of the Temple of Time seemed to be pure and unaltered.

Strange that the other temples wouldn't be.

~*~*~*~

"_Princess Zelda, wake up."_

_The princess opened her eyes, and, though she had lay down near the purple platform when she was last conscious, she found herself already standing and wide awake in the Chamber of the Sages. _

"_Hmmm?" she yawned, stretching. "That was quick."_

"_No it wasn't." Rauru's tone was ominous rather than accusatory and it made her arms drop quickly to her sides._

"_What's wrong? Did I sleep too long? I'm sorry."_

_Rauru bowed deeply. "No, Princess, _I _am sorry. I did what I thought was best."_

_Her eyes widened. "What happened?"_

~*~*~*~

Princess Zelda picked up the Master Sword and slid it into the sheath on the magical sword strap Rauru had given her. She slung it over one of her shoulders and walked out of the chamber.

~*~*~*~

"_You've been asleep for three months."_

_The princess's jaw dropped. "_What?_ I didn't think I was _that_ tired! How could I sleep for _three months_?"_

"_It wasn't your fault; it was mine. A few hours after you fell asleep, one of the Twinrova witches returned to Hyrule Castle Town and began casting evil spells everywhere. I do not know exactly what she has done, but she patrolled the Castle Town for three months. At any rate, I did not feel it was safe for you to leave the Sacred Realm until she had left so I extended your nap."_

~*~*~*~

Princess Zelda slowly pushed open the doors of the Temple of Time and then wished she hadn't. The sky had turned a thoroughly depressing shade of purple shot through with dark clouds. And the air…her skin crawled with a vague horror, as if evil spirits had diffused into the thinnest of ethers and injected themselves into the atmosphere. The doors swung shut behind her and it was not just urgency, but fear that caused her to run towards Castle Town.

_How could I have slept through this?_ Houses that had once been sturdy and cheerful were now dismal and crumbling. Windows were smashed and entire roofs were missing. Doorways without doors eerily invited her inside. She hesitated, and then decided to see if there were any refugees using the old buildings as camps. She needed someone, anyone, to tell her what exactly had happened to this place.

The moment she walked through the doorway, two bony, rotting hands reached out and latched themselves around her neck, cutting her scream short. She tried to urge her magic to form a shield around her and blast them away, but nothing came. Then she realized that her magical attacks during the coup d'etat must have drained her power. Even though she had been asleep for three months, not enough time must have passed in the Sacred Realm for her magic to recuperate.

As she began to choke, the muscles in her hands tensed, and she whipped out the Master Sword from its sheath. As an emaciated frame launched itself out at her, she spun in a circle, slashing it in half. The hands loosened and she rammed her elbow into the upper half of the body to dislodge it. As she stepped away from the creature, she saw that it was not just any monster. Under its dull brown flesh, it had the skeleton of a human.

_She animated the dead,_ thought Princess Zelda in cold horror. She ran out of the building, Master Sword in hand. Heavy or not, she should never have sheathed it in the first place. She _knew_ there were Twinrova spells upon the town and she had still left unprepared. She was lucky to be alive.

When she reached the market, Princess Zelda halted abruptly.

She now knew what had happened to her guards during the siege of the castle.

The Redeads were positioned in the market in a mockery of the soldier's formation in the throne room of the castle. Their mouths were stretched in dull death's head grins and the hollows where their eyes should be made her shudder. They stood still, shoulders slumping, and the air trembled with low groans.

The princess hesitated. The quickest way out of the town was through the market. Remembering the speed of the last Redead's surprise attack, she tightened her grip on her sword, took a deep breath, and stepped into the open.

It was rather anticlimactic. According to the Redeads' reactions, she might as well have not been there. She wondered if they were blind, but that couldn't be. She began walking towards the fountain, and then a Redead she hadn't seen unfurled upwards. A high-pitched scream filled the air and Princess Zelda realized it was the death scream of the person the zombie had once been.

Her body began to shiver uncontrollably and she found herself frozen in place. The Redead came closer and closer and she could have sworn its mouth was grinning a little more widely. It launched itself at her like a spider, latched its mouth to her head, and without further ado, began to rape her life energy. As she became weaker and weaker, she became more and more panicked. Before she knew it, a burst of adrenaline freed her and her sword. She swung her weapon wildly, not attacking so much as purging the feel of the Redead's damp, stringy arms around her. Even after pieces of the monster lay in every direction, she found herself still hacking at the severed parts.

Wrenching herself away, the princess tore in the direction of the drawbridge, staying away from the zombies. None of them chased her and she now knew why. The Redeads could not see, smell, or hear, but they knew life when they sensed it and would stop at nothing to taste it once more. Giving them a wide berth shielded her from their range of awareness and protected her from their insatiable hunger.

Princess Zelda didn't stop running when she reached Hyrule Field, nor did she stop when she passed the entrance to Kakariko Village. Rauru was wrong. She needed something else before she could begin her quest and it could only be found in one place.

~*~*~*~

"We didn't see _nothing_, Mido. Not even the Skull Kids were there to chase us away from the deeper woods."

"Are you _sure?_ You guys didn't just go off and play again, did you?"

"Dude, we've been looking forever! If we say nothing's there, nothing's there!"

Mido ground his teeth and stomped back into his house to sulk. Nothing nothing nothing. Three stupid months and no Saria. What if that weird old man with those weird old women (what had they called themselves? Gurdods?) had found her? What if they had kidnapped her and were keeping her somewhere dark and scary?

In his heart of hearts, Mido kind of hoped for it. If she had been captured, at least she would still be alive. As the months passed, it was easier and easier to imagine that something more terrible had happened.

Fado's shrill scream ripped through his brooding. "INTRUDER!"

Without delay, every Kokiri in the village did one of the things Kokiri do best: they hid. Mido dived under a table, wrapping his arms around his knees to keep them from shaking. Stupid Gurdods. They already had Saria, and the Deku Tree had died from that parasite seven years ago. What more did they want from them?

Minutes passed. Then more minutes. No blasts of fire, no bellowing laugh, no sounds of wood being smashed. Curiosity overcame cowardice and the tip of Mido's green cap slowly poked out from the doorway. Nothing. The rest of his head slowly followed, and then his eyes bugged out.

"Sis! What're ya doin' here?" Mido yelled as he ran over. "Have ya seen Saria? And where the heck have ya been? Do ya know if Saria's all right? Do ya know…what's…" He trailed off when he saw Princess Zelda's face. Although she showed no sign that she would force her way through, he stepped aside and let her pass him.

"What's going on?" Fado asked, emerging from the bushes in Mido's garden. "Mido? What's up with her?"

"I dunno." Mido stared after her, then cupped his hands around his mouth. "HE'S NOT THERE ANYMORE YA KNOW! NOT THAT I CARE!…stupid scrubhead."

~*~*~*~

As Link had grown older and older, he spent more and more time in Castle Town performing his duties as a knight. Although it would have been much easier to simply rent a room in town or at the castle, he went back to the forest whenever he could. He said he considered it his permanent residence. When asked why, he shrugged and said that all of his stuff was there. Princess Zelda knew the real reason. Link's roots lay in the Kokiri Forest. Even though he had grown up and knew he was a Hylian, the Kokiri Forest was where he had first learned how to be strong. His experiences there had shaped him irrevocably, and it would always be his home.

And now, Princess Zelda learning how to navigate that home. The tree houses made for Kokiri are exactly that: made for the Kokiri. Luckily for her, over the course of three years, Link had renovated his house. Although he couldn't expand the circumference of a tree trunk, he had carved out another level under the first and added a very cleverly hidden trapdoor and a ladder. Princess Zelda had never been down there before and had to hunt for quite a bit until she found it. After that, she had to figure out how to locate the spring that would open the door. When she finally got it open, she lit a candle stub she found on his table and climbed down.

~*~*~*~

_Once Saria's foot touched the bottom of the ladder, she spun on her heel and padded softly toward Link's candle flame. He was rummaging through a wooden chest, occasionally pausing to fold a red tunic, and then a blue one. Saria lingered behind him. She didn't want to upset him, but she had to know. She reached out a hand, hesitated, and then touched his shoulder. Link's hands barely slowed down their search._

"_What is it, Saria?" Link's voice was even, but the hunch of his shoulders belied his unrest. Saria hesitated again, then spoke._

"_How far…" she began tremulously, and then cleared her throat. "How far is 'far away'?"_

_Link's eyes closed in a grimace. "I really couldn't tell you."_

"_Please, Link. I want to make sure you'll be ok."_

"_I'll be fine, all right?" Link didn't turn around. "I'm always fine."_

"_No, you're not!" Saria's voice was too loud, her tone too desperate, but she couldn't stop herself. Maybe Link would be angry with her. Maybe he'd tell her to get out. But she realized that she didn't care._

"_You're not fine, Link. You're not fine at all. So don't tell me you're fine when you're not. Maybe I can't make you fine again right now and all by myself. In fact, I'm sure I can't. But I want to be there for you in any way possible, and if you tell me you're fine when you're not, you're not even giving me a chance. And I don't know," Saria began to cry, "I don't know what I've done to lose that chance."_

_Link immediately stopped and turned around, remorse and sorrow softening his face. "Oh Saria." He reached out his arms and pulled her close. "Oh Saria." She pressed her face into his tunic, tiny fingers gripping the weathered cloth. "You're right. I'm not fine. You never could lie to me, could you? But I lied to you. Selfishly. I'm sorry."_

"_It's ok." Saria pulled back, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry too. I don't want to make you uncomfortable. But I've been looking out for you so much, I can't stop now when it really matters."_

"_I know," said Link warmly. "Thanks Saria. As to where I'm going," he shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I want to get as far away from the castle as possible. I think I may head to Zora's Domain for starters. From there, who knows? But I won't be gone forever, and if I need to talk to you, I'll play your ocarina, ok? I promise."_

"_You'll be back?" Saria blurted out. She clapped her hands over her mouth and looked away. She hadn't meant to voice that particular fear and her cheeks burned._

"_Of course I will, Saria. Remember what I said when I left for the first time? The forest is my home."  
_

"_I know. It's just…you're a Hylian…when I found that out, I thought you'd leave forever."_

"_Wherever I live will not be because my race lives there. I'll live where my family is. You are my family and so was the Deku Tree. And anyway," Link grinned crookedly. "All of my stuff is here and I am way too lazy to move it."_

~*~*~*~

Back on the upper level, Princess Zelda had arranged that stuff on the wooden table. There was a silver scale, a slingshot, a bracelet, a bag, a boomerang, a wooden shield, and three glass bottles. They were all things that Link had used and all of them had participated in his battles. But the thing the princess held close to her breast was a neatly-folded green tunic. Though it didn't carry his scent anymore, she buried her face in it and, just for a moment, thought about Link.

Letting herself think about Link was like lighting candles when all she wanted to do was sleep. During the weeks after their breakup, she had cried every day, even on the days when she thought she was doing better. Eventually, she began trying to block off all thoughts of him; there were only so many meetings from which she could excuse herself so she wouldn't burst into tears in front of everyone she needed to negotiate with. It was a futile effort and she sabotaged herself in all sorts of ways, but she stubbornly kept at it.

And now, not thinking about him in his current hostage situation was all she could do from breaking down completely. It seemed like the Twinrova would not kill him, especially since such an action would go against Ganondorf's orders. Still, the caprice of the witches was too strong for her to place any faith in their promises. Just thinking of Link being hurt or, goddesses forbid, killed, while she was powerless was sickening.

And she hadn't even told him her heart yet.

She squeezed the green tunic in her arms and shut her eyes. _I wish you were here. Link I miss you so much. I'm scared. I know what I have to do, but I'm scared._

There was no answer. There wouldn't be. She couldn't be the princess in peril any longer.

She put gently placed the tunic down on the table and looked at all of his equipment again. It seemed wrong somehow, like the strangest sort of sham, but…_Everything I have is yours._ She slowly began to strip off her tattered gloves.

~*~*~*~

Mido would never, ever admit that he felt anything but disgust and, occasionally, a very noble sort of pity for the sissy Kokiri who didn't have a fairy. And when the little twerp found out that he was Hylian and got a fairy anyway, Mido still decided to dislike him out of principle. As the twerp grew up and defended the Kokiri Village whenever he was home, Mido would declare that the Great Mido could protect the village all on his own, but the dude wasn't entirely useless, so he wasn't completely opposed to him pitching in once in a while. But, of course, it wasn't like the Great Mido _needed_ the help.

And if asked why he felt a sudden surge of hope when he saw a tall figure in a green tunic and white tights and carrying a sword and shield walking towards him that night, he would have sputtered and then yelled that he wasn't _relieved_ or anything, he was just ready to kick that stupid loser's ass for disappearing for such a long time.

He opened his mouth to yell, but then just left it open, for the figure had stepped out into the moonlight. In that instant, Mido's exceptional powers of perception told him that something about this hero was different.

"Link?" he blurted out. "When did ya become a _girl?_"

The figure stopped in mid-stride.

"Huh? Oh. Mido, no, I'm not Link. It's me, Princess Zelda." She walked over to him, looking embarrassed.

Mido narrowed his eyes at her. She was a little shorter than Link, although it was hard to tell with these "adult" creatures. Her form was more slender and her shoulders were less broad. She was carrying her shield on her back the way Link did, but her sword sheath was tilted towards the right, not the left. Blonde hair spilled down her back and Mido was pretty sure Link's hair had never been that long. But you couldn't trust anything these days.

Mido harrumphed. "Ya don't _look_ like the princess."

The adult smiled and knelt. Her sky blue eyes stared into his and Mido fell back a step. It was certainly Princess Zelda's face. He noticed that her dinky crown was still on her forehead.

"I was wondering," she said softly, "if you have the Ocarina of Time. I hid it in Saria's house and now I can't find it."

Mido blinked.

"It's really important to me. If I don't get it back, I may never be able to return Hyrule to the way it was. Or help Saria."

Mido nodded grudgingly. "I guess y'are the princess if ya know where I found the ocarina. C'mon, I'll take ya to it."

~*~*~*~

"OK, RUN!"

Princess Zelda burst out of the tiny passageway they had been huddled in. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the boulder rumble around the corner. Mido was sitting on her shoulders piggyback-style and yelling directions at the top of his lungs. They pelted through the final branches of the maze to the dead end containing the treasure chest. Panting, the princess lifted Mido off of her shoulders and set him on the ground. She brushed some dirt off of her new outfit and grinned. Link's tights had always been a strange fashion choice to her, but now she could see why he wore them. The flexible white cloth was much easier to run in.

"Well, whaddya waitin' for? Open the darn thing so we can leave."

Princess Zelda turned and opened the wooden chest. Her precious ocarina was resting on green cloth and the golden Triforce mark twinkled up at her. She stowed it in one of the pouches on her sword strap. She needed to keep it close, and in the weeks to come, it was highly unlikely she'd ever be anywhere without the Master Sword.

She began closing the lid of the treasure chest when Mido stopped it with his hand. She stared at him in confusion. "What?"

He rolled his eyes. "Are ya freakin' blind? There's something else in there."

Princess Zelda lifted an eyebrow, and then peered into the chest again. Nothing remained. Unless….

She gripped the green cloth and pulled it out. The last time she had seen this thing was when the love of her life was imprisoned by her greatest enemy. It was green, mended in a couple places, resembled a failed windsock, and the most beautiful thing she had seen all day. She hugged it, then gathered her hair into a ponytail and lowered it into the cap. Then she moved the cap up to fit around her head, effectively hiding her long golden hair.

"How do I look?" she asked Mido, smiling crookedly.

The Kokiri tilted his head. "Kinda stupid," he replied honestly. "But it's better than all that pink ya were wearin' before. Ya looked like a moving target."

Princess Zelda's laugh slid into an "eep!" as the fatherly wooden face of the Great Deku Tree suddenly sprang into her mind. Her prophetic visions were always much sharper than memories and enjoyed customizing their entries into her consciousness. She clutched her head as the sheer weight of this one thudded into her mind.

"Whoa! Ya ok?!"

"I'm…yes, I'm all right," the princess slowly opened her eyes and looked down at Mido, who was still rather alarmed. "I need you to lead me to the Great Deku Tree."

"Um, he's dead. He died seven years ago."

Princess Zelda's face was grave. "I just had a vision of him. He has to hold the key to the next step of my mission."

Mido looked skeptical, then shrugged. "Whatever. If ya wanna see a dead tree that bad, I guess there's no stoppin' ya."

~*~*~*~

Princess Zelda opened her eyes and exhaled wearily. No matter how much magical energy she directed through her clairvoyant powers, not a single vision had come to her. She had explored all around the tree, but she couldn't sense anything particularly notable. She began to circle it again, hoping to find something she overlooked.

"Give it up already, Princess," Mido drawled from his seat on one of the Great Deku Tree's roots. "We've been here for hours and there's nuthin'."

"No," came Princes Zelda's voice from behind the trunk.

"What, ya scared of your prophetin' being wrong?" Mido said with a slight sneer. "Own up. Everyone makes mistakes once in a while. 'Cept me."

"I _know_ there's—" the princess began when suddenly the highest-pitched shriek she'd ever heard rang across the glen.

"LINK!!!"

A bolt of blue zipped down from the air and hit the young woman square in the chest. Princess Zelda stumbled back, the little winged ball of light clinging to her tunic and jabbering at top speed.

"OhthankthegoddessesIhaven'tseenyouinforeverI'vemissedyousomuchhowhaveyoubeentheGreatDekuTreehasn'tbeenrebornyetI'msoworried—"

"Wait!"

The tiny little voice froze. It zipped away from the princess and stared.

"…Link?" the little voice said warily. "No…"

"I'm not Link, Navi." The princess removed Link's cap from her head. "I'm Zelda."

The fairy stared at her for a good minute and then her wings fluttered rapidly. "_Princess Zelda?_ I haven't seen _you_ in forever either! You're so tall now!"

The princess smiled shyly. "So is Link."

Navi flew in a slow spiral around the girl. She observed her closely and Princess Zelda took the opportunity to do the same. Neither she nor Link had seen Navi since Link was fourteen. The Great Deku Tree had been dead for four years, neither new Kokiri nor fairies had been born, and the darker specters of the Lost Woods were beginning to creep in. The fairy had regretfully explained that fairy magic was needed to maintain the order and the magic the Great Deku Tree had generated and preserved. As the last fairy he had produced and the only fairy that was not life-bonded to a Kokiri, it was her job to preserve the magic, and since all of her energy was required for this task, she must cocoon herself to one of the Great Deku Tree's branches and become one with the forest. Zelda had been dismayed, and Link had been devastated, but three years ago on this very spot, they had seen her off.

And now, the long-lost fairy zipped up to the top of the princess's head and tugged her hat. "Speaking of Link, why are you dressed like him? Is there a Kokiri festival today? Are you joining it?"

"No. Navi," Princess Zelda took a deep breath, "There's been a lot going on lately…"

Twenty minutes later, Navi was no longer hovering in the air, but seated on the tree trunk across from Mido.

"So _you're_ going to restore the Temples and save Hyrule?" Navi asked slowly.

"Looks like it," Princess Zelda nodded.

"No offense, but are you really up for something like that?" Navi said bluntly. "Link must have way more adventuring experience than you do by now."

"He does," admitted the princess.

"He must also have explored Hyrule all over and have a good idea where all the Temples are located."

"Very probable."

"He's the best swordsman in all of Hyrule…and you're just a princess."

Mido snickered. Princess Zelda's composure didn't allow her to blush, but she held her head a little higher. "Link has a great deal of skill with the sword…much more than I do. But I still remember the basics and most importantly, the Master Sword is allowing me to wield it. If all Hyrule has left to defend it is me, I am going to do my best to save it."

"Well, if Hyrule is going to be saved, you're going to have to give a lot more than your best," Navi said snippily. "But if your vision led you here, it must mean you had to meet me. The Great Deku Tree should have been reincarnated, but I've been checking telepathically and there's been no sign. That's why I broke out of my cocoon, to see what's wrong. The Twinrova witches must have put an evil spell on him."

"The Gurdods did it? Dammit!" Mido smacked a fist into the tree root. "Stupid Gurdods."

_Stupid Gurdods indeed,_ Princess Zelda thought. If this was true, then the Twinrova must have put spells on all of the major magical power spots throughout Hyrule long ago. The evil magic must have been festering for seven years, slowly corrupting the temples.

"Well, Princess Zelda, if you're the one who's going to navigate all the temples and fight all the monsters, Farore knows you'll need a ton of help," Navi flew over to hover in front of the princess. "I'll go with you."

"Thank you, Navi," Princess Zelda smiled. "And one more thing."

Smiling a little sadly, she lifted both of her slender hands and removed the tiara from her head. "For now, I'm not a princess anymore. I'm just Zelda."

While there were many good security reasons for hiding her title, deep down, Zelda knew that Navi was right. Zelda _was_ going to have to give a lot more than her best to restore Hyrule, and as much power as she held as a member of royalty, she was going to have to become someone new with much more capabilities and less restrictions to even have a chance.

Mido harrumphed and then began stomping back towards the village. "Nothin' and no one is gonna make me stop bein' the Great Mido."

Zelda chuckled, and Navi began flying towards the village as well. "C'mon Zelda. If the Forest Temple is within the Lost Woods, I think I know exactly where it is."

~*~*~*~

Reviews are always read and greatly appreciated!


	5. If I can be strong

Author's note: My thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! =)

**No Road of Flowers**

**Chapter 5: If I can be strong**

"_In remembrance of quests fulfilled and services rendered." The flat of the sword struck Link's right shoulder._

"_In acknowledgement of your sworn fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule." The blade struck Link's left shoulder._

"_I dub thee a Royal Knight of Hyrule. Rise, Sir Link."_

_As applause swept through the room, Link's eyes traveled helplessly to towards the Princess Zelda, who was clapping the hardest. She beamed at him and he felt himself grinning back. Maybe he shouldn't dream of a princess ever liking a vagabond, even if they were close friends, but dream he did._

_Malon, Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, and everyone else had come to congratulate him on his knighthood. Even the Happy Mask Salesman had showed up, although that glint in his eye seemed to say that he remembered Link's fifty-rupee debt. He wished Navi was here, but at least he was a hero in her eyes when she left._

_He was allowed one quick bow and wave to the crowd before the other knights herded him into the council chamber for slaps on the back and ale. Although Link was many drinks away from liking ale, he was grateful the other knights had taken to him as quickly as they had. Not many elite and seasoned warriors would have appreciated a fifteen-year-old in their ranks._

_Suddenly, the crowd of jovial men around him dropped to their knees, giving Link the fleeting impression that he had grown taller. Over their helmets, Link saw Zelda in a shell-pink dress, its simplicity contrasting with her luxurious fawn-colored cape. He quickly knelt as well._

"_Princess Zelda."_

"_Please rise," she said, smiling. "The servers informed me that they need help carrying all thirty barrels of ale to the gardens."_

"_We'll take care of it, Princess," one of the oldest knights assured her. They all quickly filed out, the last one giving Link a sly wink before the door closed behind him. Link cast a nervous glance at Zelda, hoping she hadn't seen it, and got an accidental split-second view of her cleavage before he found himself being tightly hugged._

"_Congratulations, Link!"_

_Link returned the embrace, his cheeks burning with a heat that scorched the tips of his pointed ears. "Thanks."_

_He held on to her a bit longer than he did with most people and rested his cheek against the side of her head. With a twinge of excitement, he noted the difference in their heights. Over the past two years, he had finally begun to grow, reaching Zelda's height (at last!) and then surpassing it slightly (hurrah!). Her lithe body felt sturdy but graceful under his hands and her golden tresses were warm and soft beneath his cheek. He turned his head slightly, his lips brushing against her hair, hoping and yet not hoping that she wouldn't notice the almost-kiss._

"_I'm so proud of you!" Zelda pulled back to admire him. "You can go on even more quests now that you have the approval of the king!" She smiled a bit wistfully. "You can go most anywhere you want."_

_Link teased her, hoping to divert her attention from his blush. "What? Now you want to be a knight too?"_

_Zelda laughed. "If I was half as good as you with a sword, maybe I'd want to try."_

"_You're as good as me in other ways."_

~*~*~*~

"Link would never have had to run this thing six times!"

Zelda ignored the fairy and nodded at Dampe, who snickered gleefully as he began gliding swiftly down the dark hallway. Zelda dodged the glowing flames that appeared just around the corners and leaped through a pitch-black passage and around the maze-like corridors. As she neared the end of the race, she ran into a flame and fell backwards.

"Get up! Get up!" shrieked Navi, bouncing around in the air.

Zelda practically flew upright as she lunged back into her sprint. In the first few races where she had fallen, she had made the mistake of assuming that she would lose because she was set back. But not this time. Finally, she had _seen_ which doorway that old ghost had taken and she climbed through it into a chamber where the road curved upwards. She hurtled towards yet another timed passage and slid through just as it slammed shut behind her.

"Yes!" she and Navi cried in unison. Zelda threw her hands up in victory and ran up the steps to where Dampe floated, googly grin still contorting his face Zelda realized that it must be his usual expression.

"Congratulations, young man," Dampe said, his creaky voice echoing off of the walls. During the first few races, Zelda had almost corrected him, but Navi had pinched her just in time.

"Open that chest and receive my favorite treasure."

"Thank you," said Zelda politely. She raised the lid and lifted out the strangest contraption she'd ever seen.

"It's called a hookshot," Dampe explained. "If you press this lever at soft surfaces like wood, the barb will extend and hook onto it. Twisting the handle counterclockwise will make the barb diminish and the chain retract."

"Neat," said Zelda, examining it closely.

"Indeed. Have fun with my favorite item." He vanished into blue flames which rapidly flickered out into darkness.

~*~*~*~

_To his surprise, Zelda's face fell. He reached out to touch her shoulder and she smiled quickly and looked away._

"_I wonder…you've done so much for Hyrule, defeating monsters and rescuing people. If I did that too, maybe I could help Hyrule more. Signing papers doesn't defeat monsters."_

~*~*~*~

"HEY!" Navi screeched. "ZELDA WATCH OU-"

The Moblin rammed into Zelda, knocking the wind out of her, and to add insult to injury, threw her into a deep pool of water. She swam back to the edge, but he charged her again and smacked her hands until she let go. Zelda swam to the other end of the pool, glaring. The Moblin smirked and strutted off. With nothing to hold onto, the Moblin clearly expected her to drown. What he seemed to have forgotten was that a seventeen-year-old human girl does not weigh as much as a 400-pound dog monster, and might just have superior swimming skills as well. Zelda treaded the water as quietly as she could, and once the Moblin was out of earshot, Navi flew back down to Zelda.

"What in Hyrule is wrong with you? You had plenty of time to hit him!"

"I can't use my magic anymore!" Zelda tried to keep her voice steady, but it was all she could do to keep from panicking outright.

"You shot a ton of spells earlier!"

"But that's only a fraction of my power! I should be able to use more."

Navi zipped about in the air. "It must be the curse on the Forest Temple. The evil spells on this place are inhibiting you from using your full powers within them."

This was not good news to a magic-user, especially one as strong as Zelda. "But then how am I supposed to lift the curses on the Temples if I can't use all of my magic in them?" she cried.

"Link did it," said Navi loftily. "He did it with a sword, shield, and me."

Somehow, her statement did not improve morale.

The fairy sighed. "For what it's worth, there are usually plants and monsters you can slay and replenish your magic store with. You'll just have to ration it wisely and use your weapons to slay the monsters."

Zelda swam to the edge of the pond and lifted herself out. "I'm not very good with a sword," she said quietly.

Navi huffed impatiently. "Is there anything you _are_ good at?"

~*~*~*~

"_Well," said Link bracingly, "you're one heck of a sharp shooter with a bow! In fact, I think you're better than I am! That's the way you can defeat monsters!"_

~*~*~*~

Zelda pulled the hookshot out of her belt and studied it. Precise eye and hand coordination was a necessity for this thing, and fortunately, Zelda possessed them in abundance. She lifted the hookshot up and aimed it at the Moblin's back.

"Urrrgraahh!" Without further ado, the canine went down and vanished in burst of evil flame. He left behind some money on the ground, which Zelda scooped up before starting around the next corner of the maze.

~*~*~*~

"_I don't know about that," said Zelda modestly._

"_I'm sure you can," said Link confidently, his sincerity so obvious it was adorable. Zelda couldn't help leaning over and kissing his cheek. _

"_Well, thank you. I'll just exercise my biceps for a couple more years so I can be like you and then we'll be ready to go," she said teasingly._

_Link smiled, but his voice was serious. "Quests require more than brute strength, you know. Each mission is like a puzzle, and adventurers and knights must be clever as well as strong in order to get the job done."_

_Zelda started. "Oh, Link, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply—"_

"_No, no," said Link quickly, waving her apology away. "I know you didn't, what I mean to say is that you do defeat monsters, just not with weapons. The other knights told me that if it weren't for the strategic planning of people, property, and certain strongholds by the King, the monsters in Hyrule would have a much easier time hurting everyone. Your signing papers does defend people, in fact, it defends them before anyone else can."_

~*~*~*~

_Whoever signed the papers for this temple_, Zelda thought as she dashed across the room of ladders and deadly shadows, _was out to defend no one_.

She threw herself onto a ladder and scrambled up a few steps. The giant, macrabe hand slammed to the ground, scuttled around, and then silently rose back towards the ceiling like a spider retracting itself on a thread of silk.

~*~*~*~

"_And also," said Link, beginning to blush again, "you're really smart, so I think you could complete a quest in no time."_

~*~*~*~

"Zelda!" the blue fairy cried. "This quest will never end if you don't shoot the freaking painting!"

"She keeps vanishing!" Zelda panted as she ran up the steps. She banged her thigh into the railing and blood began to darken her torn leggings. "If I can't get a good shot for one painting, it's better to move onto the next so I can prepare."

Navi couldn't argue with the logic of this, but it didn't stop her from muttering "Link would have shot the painting" and flittering in a disapproving way every time Zelda turned away from one ghost-filled canvas to focus on an empty frame.

When they reached the room with the checkered floor, Zelda took a cautious step forward. The ceiling slammed down, knocking her backwards.

"Ow!"

"I see some safe spots," Navi reported from above. "And I hear Skulltulas, but I can't see them very well."

"It's ok," Zelda looked nervously at the ceiling. "Let's go."

It was less ok than she thought. As Zelda tried the room for the third time, Navi's wings were fluttering so hard Zelda could actually hear them buzzing.

"Go," the fairy said tersely.

"No, I have to make sure this is the right square."

"Just go."

"Wait for a moment."

"_Just go, Zelda!"_

"Please don't shout at me," Zelda said frostily, trying to ignore the throbbing coming from her injured thigh. "I'll go when I'm ready."

Navi zigzagged in the air. "And when will that be, huh?" she demanded. "You're so slow. Link would have--"

Hearing his name broke the last stick of Zelda's poise. "I'm not Link!"

"Yeah, it really shows."

Silence. A silence like a tsunami, drowning out words before they can even hope to stay afloat. Even the skulltulas stopped chattering.

Zelda slowly raised her head to stare at the guardian fairy. Navi, already stressed out and fed up, didn't want to see the hurt in Zelda's blue eyes. She hesitated, then flew away, leaving Zelda alone in the room with the checkered floor.

**~*~*~*~**

"_I'm happy you think so," said Zelda shyly. "At any rate," she straightened up, "My place is as the Princess of Hyrule. And right now, your place is with your adoring public."_

"_Yeah," said Link ambivalently. One one hand, he wanted to see everyone who had traveled all the way to Hyrule Castle to congratulate him, on the other, he wanted to stay with his princess for just a little longer. Zelda took his hand, her eyes sparkling deviously._

"_C'mon. I think the Happy Mask Salesman is looking for you, and we'd hate to disappoint him, wouldn't we?"_

_Momentarily distracted from the shock of Zelda's hand in his, he feebly uttered protests as she led him to the door._

~*~*~*~

Zelda jumped back from the huge blocks that had suddenly fallen to the ground, and then heard the ticking of a timer. There was no time to be intimidated by inanimate objects. Zelda glanced sharply at the painting. _Wait. This is a puzzle. I know I can do this!_

Immediately, she began to push and pull the blocks into place. They were heavy, but Zelda's ability to find the optimal paths to connect them made up for the time it took to get them there. The last block slid into place a second before the timer went off and a cute green ghost appeared in the room.

Zelda drew her bow quickly, but not quickly enough. Amy twacked her in the side with her lantern and Zelda yelped. That was going to bruise for sure. She drew an arrow, wincing, and shot it right in between the ghost's beady eyes.

~*~*~*~

She hadn't been trying to be mean. She wanted to help Zelda, she really did, but every time Zelda retreated from a fight or didn't know how to fight a monster, all she saw was a girl in a hero's clothing who was trying to be her beloved Link and, regardless of her progress, failing.

As a youth, Link's natural talent for hunting and fighting had carried him steadily through the dungeons. It wasn't that he never slipped up nor made mistakes, but he was a quick learner and creative with his weapons. And most of all, he was brave. Zelda was determined, but she lacked the courage to face most enemies head-on. She tended to hide behind corners and spend a lot of valuable time sniping them off. She was good at solving puzzles, but she was not used to thinking fast on her feet, and sustained many more injuries than Link had, which slowed them down even more.

Patience was not Navi's greatest virtue and it was increasingly hard to make it so when every sloppy sword technique and every time Zelda had to stop to rest could be the moment the Twinrova witches grew tired of letting Link live.

Navi flitted restlessly around a courtyard. Almost two hours had passed, and nothing had changed. Just the same Octoroks using her as target practice and the same Deku Babas trying to eat her. She secretly hoped Zelda would come bursting through the door seeking her help, or else hear a scream that would alert her to the hero's whereabouts so she could justify showing up and saving her while keeping her pride. But all she could hear was the trickling of the stream and the eerie music that permeated every room of the Forest Temple. Navi alighted on the side of a stone well. Her gossamer wings slumped.

"I promised to guide her."

"_Well, Princess Zelda, if you're the one who's going to navigate all the temples and fight all the monsters, Farore knows you'll need a ton of help. I'll go with you."_

"I promised to guide her."

_A grateful smile lighting up Zelda's face. "Thank you, Navi."_

"I promised to guide her."

"_Yeah, it really shows."_

"FINE!" The fairy shot into the air and flew a crazed circle. "Alright already! I'm going!"

And with that, she dove for the exit, but not before smacking a Deku Baba on the way out.

~*~*~*~

Finding Zelda didn't take long. In fact, all it took was going through the door back into the main chamber. Navi walked right in on a giant purple poe making a "shwoop"ing sound as it faded away and lit the final, purple torch. Zelda lowered her bow and opened one of the pouches on her sword strap. The bow shrank rapidly in size as she lowered it in, and then she flipped the lid shut. Navi hovered hesitantly, and then fluttered over to her.

"Hey, you defeated Meg!"

"Yes," said Zelda, not looking at her. "I did."

The elevator rumbled and Zelda walked over to it. Before she could get on, Navi flew in front of her. Zelda stopped walking, but she did not smile. Navi hovered timidly.

"I'm sorry, Zelda. I really am. I'm used to Link and I'm also worried about him and, well, I guess I'm taking it out on you. That's not fair of me; I know you're doing the best that you can. Will you forgive me? Can we be friends again?"

Zelda's impassive expression softened into a smile. "We never stopped being friends, Navi. I forgive you; I'm worried about Link too. Want to rescue him with me?"

"Sure thing!"

The hero and her fairy leaped on the elevator and rode it down to meet the final boss together.

~*~*~*~

When they reached the bottom and she began turning the room in a circle, Zelda chatted to Navi about the Poes that she had fought during the fairy's absence.

"You put together a puzzle under a time limit on the first try all by yourself?" Navi asked incredulously. "Wow, maybe you _don't_ need me."

"Don't be silly. I would never have gotten as far as I did without your help."

"Still, most people, Link included, would need several tries before they could solve that puzzle within a time limit," Navi said seriously.

"I enjoy puzzles," said Zelda modestly. She stepped on a switch, and then pushed the wall extension so she could enter the hallway. "I'm just not good at fighting monsters."

"Well, that's going to have to change, and fast," said the fairy, darting ahead of her. "'Cause we're here."

The dark hallway reminded her of Hyrule Castle, but the ancient Forest Temple melody echoed around her and scratchy, discontent whispers seemed to scuttle about her boots. The presence of her first real boss fight loomed ahead of her and Zelda gripped the hilt of the Master Sword. _I'm not afraid of you_. _I'm here to _defeat_ you. _Still, she strode as quickly down the hall as she could without actually running.

When she and Navi entered the circular chamber, they looked at each other and nodded once. Heart-racing, Zelda took a deep breath, walked into the the middle of the room and…

Nothing happened.

"Hey! The dungeon map _said_ it would be here," said Navi, flitting around the room. "The evil controlling this temple. It should be here!"

"Maybe the map is old," said Zelda, looking at the paintings that lined the room. Why were they all of the same, gloomy road to a distant castle? "Or maybe the witches implanted a fake to throw us off."

"They didn't know we would be coming, though," Navi said. She alighted on Zelda's shoulder. "Oh well. Let's go then."

Zelda turned around began to walk back towards the stairs. Suddenly, steel bars shot out of the ground, barring the only way out. Deep, evil, familiar laughter boomed behind them, and Zelda whipped around, then gasped in disbelief.

Ganondorf himself was there, on a black armored steed. Zelda held up her shield. Had he recovered already? Had he found them? But then he chuckled evilly and waved his hand over his face. A cold, white bone mask appeared and his eyes became pinpoints of yellow malevolence. Zelda let out a tight breath. It was an evil spirit, Phantom Ganon, not the Gerudo King. The phantom brandished a trident as his horse reared up and whinnied furiously. He threw a ball of lightning down in the middle of the room and it exploded into sparking whips of light. One hit Zelda and she screamed. Every bone felt like it had been rattled at high speed and every nerve felt flayed. Phantom Ganon's skull mask almost seemed to smile before he galloped off into one of the paintings. Leaning against one of the posts, Zelda watched the painted figure head down the dark road into the castle.

"Look to your left!" Navi screamed. Zelda dragged herself away just in time to avoid a collision with Phantom Ganon as he rode proudly out of the painting next to her. Zelda tried to strike him with her sword, but it passed through him without touching him. Zelda sheathed it and drew the Fairy Bow. Just then, Phantom Ganon threw another ball of lightning to the ground. Zelda held up her shield, but the lightning didn't reach to the outermost reaches of the chamber.

Feeling exultant, Zelda notched an arrow in a flash and shot the phantom and his horse. It slowed them, but they managed to enter another painting.

Zelda aimed at various paintings with her bow, waiting for the dark lord to ride down the road.

"There are two Phantom Ganons!" Navi exclaimed.

Zelda stared closely at the two paintings. One had a sheen, as if it was coated in oil. She notched an arrow, aimed at the non-shiny painting, and waited. Navi flew in front of her, trembling in exasperation.

"Stop thinking like a princess!" she shrieked. "Don't wait for him to formally invite you to a battle, hit him while he's weak!"

Zelda's eyes widened, and she fired an arrow as the phantom rider began to emerge. The horse whinnied in pain and its rider sank back in with a sick squelching noise, shaking his trident at her. Navi and Zelda smiled at each other and Zelda continued this line of attack until the boss was stripped of his horse. He flew out into the middle of the room and Zelda unsheathed the Master Sword and finally left the edge of the room to meet him.

Phantom Ganon laughed at the small, skinny figure she made on the ground below him and tossed a lightning ball at her almost carelessly.

"Don't use your shield, hit it back with your sword!" Navi yelled. Zelda struck the ball of lightning with her sword, and to her surprise, it flew back to Phantom Ganon and hit him in the chest. Straightening angrily, he shot another ball of lightning with more force. Zelda's own anger rose to meet his and won. She swung her sword with more than a weeks' worth of pent-up resentment. _How dare you shut down my magic and then flaunt your own in my face. How dare you!_

Right when she was about to deliver the finishing blow, Phantom Ganon threw a curveball that spun within her defenses. Her scream was choked back as electricity wracked through her body again. He laughed as Zelda struggled to stand upright. _C'mon. One more hit. One more hit and we're done_. She rose to her feet and with an agonized cry, swung her sword at the sparking ball of energy. Her side felt as if she had driven dozens of tiny forks into it, but her aim was true. Phantom Ganon spasmed and screamed in agony as his magic exploded on him. He collapsed like a rag doll and blue flame consumed his corpse.

"You did it!" Navi exclaimed, flying over to Zelda. "You were spectacular!"

"Thaaaoooooooow…" Zelda's thanks turned into a groan of pain as she doubled over. Navi hovered over her worriedly.

"Oh man. Can you move?" A nod. "Good. Let's get you through the portal, and then I can get you help."

Zelda looked up and saw a burst of blue light shining up from the ground, like a star emerging from the earth. She hobbled over to it, and found her pain-laden body rising in the air. A crystal casing began to form around her and Zelda unsheathed her sword. No way was she going to be captured before she had saved Link.

"It's ok!" Navi flew in front of her. "Feel the walls. It's not Ganondorf's crystal."

Zelda cautiously touched it. Navi was right, the diamond-bright walls felt more like the Sacred Realm's magic. An undercurrent of revitalizing energy ran through them. Once the crystal finished forming around her, she began to feel a little better. The world faded away and she felt herself materialize in the Chamber of the Sages where she had met Rauru.

As the crystal dissolved and she dropped onto the middle of the Triforce symbol, green light rose up from the green platform and a small, female Kokiri appeared.

"Saria!" Zelda gasped in surprise, almost forgetting the pain in her side. "You…oh Nayru…"

The little Kokiri spread her arms out. "Thank you. Because of you, I could awaken as a Sage." She grinned. "Hi Zelda. I am the Sage of the Forest Temple."

Zelda, who had vaguely been expecting an old man like Rauru, gaped in a most uncivilized manner, before swallowing hard and bowing. "I'm pleased to be of service."

"I always believed that you would come. Because I know you…"

A wave of guilt washed through her. "Oh Saria, I mean, I know I'm not Link, about Link, I mean, he's alive, he's just not here--"

"You don't have to explain it to me," Saria silenced her gently. Zelda hung her head.

"Then you know he was captured?" _And that I couldn't save your best friend?_

Saria walked over to her and Zelda sank to one knee so that they were face to face. "You _will_ save him, Zelda. I can feel your power here and I know you're strong enough. As for Link," Saria's voice became soft, "It is destiny that he and I can't live in the same world."

Saria's smile was more tragic than tears, and for the first time, Zelda noticed how the blue of Saria's eyes was more similar Link's than anyone else's was. She reached her arms out and Saria and the princess embraced.

"I," Saria said in a commanding voice, pulling away and walking back towards the green platform, "will stay here as the Forest Sage and help you. Now, please take this medallion…"

Zelda lifted her arms and a green medallion featuring four crescents descended into her waiting hands. She felt the power of the Forest Sage entering her body, and the Chamber of the Sages blurred to white.

"Saria!" she cried out in alarm. The little Kokiri's voice echoed around her.

"Zelda, tell Link that…Saria will always be…his friend…"

"I will," Zelda said as she felt herself melding with the air and becoming as light as the spirits of the wind.

As the world came back into focus, she found herself landing where she had begun, in front of the deceased Great Deku Tree.

"Look!" Navi flew over to a tiny sprout of green leaves coming up from the soil. "What's this?"

Zelda knelt and examined them. "A plant? Here? I thought no plant but the Great Deku Tree could grow in this—AAAAAUGH!"

She fell backwards as a gigantic sprout popped out of the ground. Wincing and clutching her side, Zelda gingerly stood back up, and found herself staring into the happiest smiling face she had ever seen.

"Hi there!" it said cheerfully. "I'm the Deku Tree Sprout!"

"Really?" Navi said, zipping around it excitedly. "I've been waiting _years_ for you to come up!"

"Because you and Saria broke the curse on the Forest Temple, I can grow and flourish! Thanks a lot!" it said to the hero.

"Ah, you're welcome," said Zelda, feeling slightly stupefied.

The sprout's voice became serious, although no less happy. "You are a child of destiny, whose fate affects the entire world. You must save the land of Hyrule!"

"I'll do my best," answered Zelda, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders again. _I just wish Link was here._

"Link was always bound to leave the forest," said the Deku Tree Sprout, startling her. Could everybody read her mind today? "It is his destiny."

"What?" she asked in surprise. "But the forest is his home!"

"Was," the sprout corrected her. "Now Zelda, break the curses on all of the Temples, and return peace to Hyrule!!"

"I will!" Zelda swore. She drew the Master Sword and saluted the plump sprout as the new ruler of the Forest.

Navi examined Zelda's side. "You're fine to travel, but we should get you fixed up as soon as possible. Follow me, I'll take you to a place where you can rest. Good-bye, Deku Tree Sprout!"

The fat little shoot with centuries of wisdom knew it should be worried that a young woman with a weak background in swordsmanship and little access to magic was off to save the world. But one doesn't acquire centuries of wisdom without learning to believe in the impossible, and as Zelda waved good-bye, the Great Deku Tree Sprout could only smile the happiest smile in the world.

~*~*~*~

Reviews are always read and greatly appreciated!


	6. Where a hero's welcome would be waiting

Author's note: Hi guys, thank you so much for reviewing! It's really encouraging to see the feedback and I appreciate it.

**No Road of Flowers**

**Chapter 6: Where a hero's welcome would be waiting  
**

Zelda galloped towards Kakariko Village, a bottle of fresh milk at her waist and the wind flapping her cap. Ahh, it was nice to be on a horse again! Navi zipped out of her cap.

"Your new hair is certainly more manageable now! I approve," she called, flying next to Zelda's shoulder. The hero laughed.

"You're just glad you don't have to fly all the time," she said, smiling. "Unfortunately, I don't think we can ride up Death Mountain. Once we get there, we'll have to be on foot again."

"With boulders rolling and Tektites falling? I'm _definitely_ glad she did something about your hair," Navi said, flying back into the cap.

~*~*~*~

_More than two weeks earlier…_

The boulder disappeared in a shower of sparks and shards of rock. Zelda lowered the arm shielding her face and stood up, surveying the results. A hole in the ground had appeared among the wreckage. Zelda bent over, wincing as the movement aggravated her injuries. All she saw was darkness, down and down.

"Listen!" Navi said, hovering over the hole. "You can jump! There's magic to slow you down, you won't even feel the impact when you land!"

Zelda tentatively took a step over the hole, but the ground was more slippery than she anticipated and her cry of surprise faded to an echo as the tip of her green cap disappeared into the hole. Navi sweat-dropped, then followed her.

As Zelda's boots touched down on opaline stone, her jaw dropped. Before her was a beautiful pool bordered by slender, translucent columns. Frolicking inside the pool were…

"Fairies!" Zelda gasped. Navi landed in the air above Zelda's shoulder. "Yep."

"Are they your friends?" Zelda asked, still slightly stupefied. "Your family?"

"Farore, no," Navi laughed. "For one thing, I was born from the Great Deku Tree. These guys are born from each other. And for another, they can't talk."

The Hero of Time approached the fountain, feeling almost shy. Instead condensing to stare at her as one large group, the flock of fairies continued to float around in the air, seemingly aimlessly.

"Many are in a state of constant dreaming," Navi said, flying a loop around one to demonstrate. It continued its meandering, heedless of her presence. "I think Farore meant to create a creature that would always be happy. Anything is possible in dreams, so they can live in any world they choose."

"So they just stay here, forever and ever?" Zelda asked. A pink fairy brushed her cheek.

"No," said Navi. "Every creature has a purpose. Farore gave them happiness, but she also gave them a heavy duty."

The pink fairy near Zelda's cheek started, and then turned around. Instead of floating, it began to hover the way Navi did, and seemed to be inspecting her. Then it went right to the top of her head and flew in a downward spiral around her body. Zelda gasped as what felt like pure, sparkling light bubbled up in her core and flowed swiftly through her. Every place she was injured or in pain, from the soreness of her neck, to the wound in her side, to the blisters on her feet experienced a brief numbing sensation, followed by a sweet, gentle tingling, like the taste of mint on her tongue. Zelda stared at the fingers protruding from her fingerless gloves, now completely mended of scratches. She lifted the hem of her tunic and it was as if the scrape on her thigh had never been made; not only was the flesh whole and unblemished but the fabric of her leggings was white as snow.

"Amazing," breathed Zelda. She smoothed her tunic, and then looked around. "That must have taken an incredible amount of healing magic! Is the fairy all right?"

Navi was silent. The hero's smile faltered, then vanished. "No…"

"They were created to heal whoever needed their aid. The price for their eternal happiness is their life in their first and final service."

Zelda looked away. Navi alighted on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Zelda. They died knowing that they helped someone. That's a good way to go, if you ask me."

Zelda smiled slightly, but her eyes were distant. _A good way to go, knowing you helped someone. If this quest takes my life, I hope I will have done as much. For him._

"Well," said Navi cheerfully, "now that you're healed, it's high time we started—Zelda? What are you doing? _Zelda?"_

The fairy zipped like a worried hummingbird around Zelda, who was stripping briskly. Link's hat, then belts, then clothing flew into a neat pile with startling accuracy.

"Zelda! Have you gone mad?" the fairy demanded as the nude girl tested the water with a toe, and then lowered her slender form gracefully into the pool.

"I will if I don't relax," said Zelda serenely, leaning back with a sigh. "This feels so good. I haven't bathed in days."

"Well it's going to take days for us to find the next temple, so hurry up," said Navi.

Zelda smiled lazily at the blue fairy, and then with the speed of a striking snake, splashed water at her. "Eeek!" Navi tried to zip out of the way to no avail. Soaking wet, she glared at the laughing hero and then dipped down the surface of the pool. As Zelda began to stir the water to make a wave, Navi streaked towards her and squirted her full in the face. Zelda let out a shriek of glee and the minor skirmish became a fully-fledged water war.

~*~*~*~

The small campfire it had taken Zelda almost an hour to successfully begin was small but steady. Navi flew around it, enjoying the cheerful warmth, while Zelda stirred the contents of a tiny cooking-pot. Finally, they came to a boil and she enthusiastically snatched it off of the fire and ladled it into a bowl and saucer made of Deku nut shell.

"Dinner's served, Navi!" said Zelda happily, beginning to eat. "I'm so hungry I could eat just about anything!"

"Evidently," said the fairy, who had made no move towards the saucer in front of her.

"Oh come on, it's not _that_..." Zelda swallowed, then sighed. "Fine, it's pretty bad, but I'm getting better! It's not as watery as before, nor is it burned."

"I admit, your attempts have been fascinating, if not always edible," said Navi, beginning to eat. "No offense, but I can't wait until you buy provisions at the next store. Then at least—Zelda?"

The hero had gone very pale, and then dove for the wallet in her pouch.

"Oh no."

"What is it? Are you broke?"

"Nearly," she answered weakly.

When Zelda had gathered Link's things from his house, he had carried very few rupees in his wallet. The rest of his money was probably hidden in his house somewhere, but Zelda hadn't searched for it. She had her own money in her saddlebags and wanted to avoid running up any additional debt with her boyfriend. However, the supplies she had bought from the Kokiri Shop had taken their toll and now she was pressed for funds.

"I'll need to buy more supplies at the next shop, and I can't exactly tell anyone I'm the Princess of Hyrule and expect them to give me credit," she said, shutting the wallet. "And I need to borrow a horse, and I don't want to ask Talon and Malon to lend me one without giving them something in return."

Zelda slumped back down in her seat and took up a knife and a piece of broken Deku nut shell left over from dinner. Throughout the past two weeks, she had confirmed that travel and camping was rough on hair, even if it was stowed away in a cap. As she began to carve a comb, Navi was unusually quiet. Zelda snuck glances at her every now and then, but didn't say anything. The fairy only stopped talking when she was resting or doing some hard thinking and Zelda didn't want to disturb her. She had just chipped away a smooth oval a little larger than her hand when Navi spoke.

"I know a place. I don't know if it's still there, but I know a place."

"What do you mean by 'a place'?" Zelda asked curiously. It wasn't like Navi to be cryptic.

"The guardhouse," she said slowly. "The guardhouse in the wall protecting Castle Town always contained pots. And sometimes, just sometimes, those pots contained rupees. We never saw anyone else use them, nor anyone refill them. But sometimes when we went by, there were rupees in those pots."

"Wow," said Zelda as she began to work on the teeth of her comb. "I've never heard about this from any of the Royal Guard."

"It's strange, but somehow we figured that no one else knew about it. There was only one guard who watched over the room. Weird guy, with a funny interest in ghosts. He didn't mind us taking the rupees, although he would never tell us where they came from."

Zelda turned to Navi, shock on her pretty face. "Free money?"

Navi nodded. "Only sometimes though. And Link stopped going there when he began working for wages. So, I don't know if it's still there, but it's worth checking out."

~*~*~*~

Although the sun was already warming the morning air, with each step Zelda and Navi took towards the ruins of Castle Town, the sky began turning darker and stormier. Zelda gingerly began to cross the moat, trying to avoid any loose planks. Feeling ill from all of the evil energies in the air, Navi sat on Zelda's shoulder.

"Link used to let me rest in his hat," she grumbled. "But you favor your hair over your fairy."

Zelda chuckled. "I just don't want to make it too easy for the Twinrova witches to spot me."

They approached the gate and Navi hopped off of Zelda's shoulder and flew around. "You weren't kidding when you told me this place was a wreck. I don't see anyone!"

The hero walked over to the old, battered door and turned the knob. It opened with a creak and the two of them entered the guardhouse.

The room was dim and there were indeed pots on the ground. Zelda smashed a few, and collected the rupees she found. One pot had a red rupee, but it was the only one of its kind. She walked back down the steps peered at the light coming from the far corner. Ghosts, shimmering like fire under the ocean, grinned madly at them from behind the unyielding bars of iron cages. Zelda's gaze traveled slowly from them down to the bed underneath them. Perched quite comfortably on the comforter was their keeper. His deep purple cloak covered his shoulders and face, only a strange red glow coming from inside the darkness of his hood. He held a long stick in one of his spindly hands and under his pale, bare feet were empty liquor bottles.

"Who's that?" Zelda whispered to Navi. Navi shrugged. "I don't know."

"Every inch of him screams 'sketchy'," Zelda hissed.

"He's wearing the symbol of the Triforce," the fairy replied. "Let's just go talk to him."

Zelda approached the stranger, who peered up at her. "Oh...you are quite a cautious young man, aren't you? Heh heh heh, you're smart and quite handsome as well."

There was something about his tone that sent a shiver down Zelda's spine, and not from fear.

"Your name is Link, isn't it?"

She started and he laughed. "Don't be surprised. I can read people's minds."

Zelda, whose surprise came solely from hearing a familiar name rather than her own, relaxed as she realized what he said. Instead of the ability to read minds, the hooded stranger seemed to possess an amazing memory. She had blonde hair and blue eyes like Link, and she was also wearing his clothes. Although anyone who knew them wouldn't mistake them for each other once they saw them up close, after several years of not seeing Link, it would be easy to assume she was him. The stranger probably used his memory to intrigue or intimidate people.

He leaned forward. "If I looked as good as you, I could run a different kind of business…heh heh heh…in fact," he said, patting the bed, "if you would be willing to help me, I could begin now."

Zelda began to back away. The stranger threw his head back and laughed.

"I'm only joking," he said silkily, clearly not joking at all. "Actually I have a job for you if you're interested. I pay very well…in rupees, if you prefer."

_Rupees?_ "Tell me about the job."

"As you may have guessed," said stranger, tapping the cages above him with his stick. "I have a great interest in Poes. They are spirits of concentrated hatred that appear in the fields and graveyard. They hate the world! Young man, if you catch a Poe, I will pay a lot of money for it! In fact, if you catch Big Poes, I will pay fifty rupees, which is far more than what you can get from smashing all these pots. I will also add 100 points to your card. If you earn 1,000 points, you will be a happy man!"

The Poes moved excitedly in their cages. Zelda glanced up at them, affirmed her interest to the Poe salesman, and then walked rapidly away.

"Of course, my previous offer still stands," his lecherous voice slithered out just before the door closed, "should you ever find yourself in…need." Zelda twitched.

~*~*~*~

"Hooray! You're employed!" said Navi as they hurried through what used to be Castle Town Market. "You're a ghost-catcher!"

Zelda smiled wryly. "At last, my life has meaning."

They ran up the path to Hyrule Castle. The sky was even darker the market, but more ominous than gloomy. Zelda clenched her jaw when she saw the towers of the castle. That palace was her home and here she was, skulking like a thief. Navi stopped suddenly and began buzzing around, looking frantic.

"The vine! The vine is gone! How are we going to get in? It was the only way past the guards!"

"Navi…"

"Oh yeah. The guards."

"Yes."

The hero and fairy turned the corner and slid past the crumbling gate. Suddenly, the Twinrova's laugh began to sound all around them, though they were nowhere in sight.

"It's just an alarm," Navi realized.

"_Just_ an alarm?!" Zelda jammed her hand into one of her pouches as she pelted towards the boulder a little ways off the path. One of her blue bombs whizzed towards it and it exploded just in time for her and Navi to dive into the tiny tunnel.

Zelda sighed in the darkness. "Well, Navi, I'm the most wanted person by the Twinrova witches, even if they're not aware of it yet, and now they're on the lookout for trespassers. This had better be good."

"Relax. We're going to meet one of the most powerful fairy beings in the world. How can it not be good?"

They came out of the tunnel and Zelda gasped at the sheer beauty of the room she had stepped into. Sparkling water flowed down from the walls, making them shimmer like crystal. The walkway was paved with a white stone that looked like snow and made her footsteps sound like bell chimes. Green flame burned in the torches bordering a clear pool and Zelda tentatively stepped onto the golden Triforce and took out her ocarina.

As her lullaby rang throughout the room, a bubbling noise like a chuckle came from under the water. Suddenly, a scantily-clad fairy burst out of the fountain, laughing as only the truly demented can. She spun around and then reclined in the air, giving Zelda an excellent view of…well, pretty much everything. The three pigtails of her magenta hair waved lazily in the air like octopus tentacles. Refined princess that she was, Zelda could not keep from gaping.

The fairy tilted her heavily made-up face down at her visitors and a sultry smile curved her magenta lips. "Welcome hero! I am the Great Fairy of Magic! I will give you a magic spell. Please take it."

She blew a kiss at Zelda and a red ball of light appeared in the air. It gleamed, and then a small clear crystal surrounded it and lowered towards Zelda.

"This is called Din's Fire. Its fireball engulfs everything! Use it to attack enemies and burn things."

"Wow!" said Navi excitedly. "This is one of the great spells of the goddesses!"

"Thank you," Zelda said shyly to her benefactor.

The Great Fairy winked and cooed, "When battle has made you weary, please come back to visit me. I will make you feel very, very good."

She leaned forward to flash cleavage at the startled girl and then sank back into the fountain amid the chorus of her own laughter.

Silence.

"Wow, Zelda," Navi said, nudging her shoulder. "Everyone wants you!"

Zelda let out a burst of laughter that bordered on hysteria. "Then let's go before they get me, shall we?"

~*~*~*~

The horses practically stampeded towards the corral in their eagerness to get back into the sunshine. Malon laughed as one particularly enthusiastic Appaloosa tried to leap over the fence, then screeched to a stop as he thought better of it. The young stallion liked to show off and was constantly testing limits, but give him a real challenge and he'd swiftly show what he was made of. Tossing his head in an "I meant to do that", he primly trotted into the corral, carefully not meeting Malon's eyes.

"You're not fooling anybody," she said as she closed the gates. He snorted and then quickly moved further into the paddock before she could scold him.

Malon rolled her eyes and turned around to head back towards the barn to take care of the cows when a green tunic in the distance caught her eye. A green tunic could only mean one person, and she scampered to hide behind the side of her house. His footsteps came closer and closer and Malon flattened herself and held her breath. Finally, he passed her corner and when she saw the tip of his green cap pass by her corner, Malon jumped out and hugged him from behind.

"Hiya, Link!"

Link froze. Malon froze. Malon's hands, which had landed on the chest of her visitor, had not frozen and seemed determined to find out why Link had suddenly grown breasts. Distantly, she registered their firmness as her hands squeezed them and confirmed their discovery to her stunned brain.

_Boobs._

_BOOBS._

Malon sprang backwards and fell on her rump. She scrambled backwards like a crab as the Link who was not Link turned around, hands curled protectively around her violated bosom.

Malon gasped. "Zelda?"

Zelda stared at her with the fear and hurt of a wounded animal. Malon couldn't stop gawking. She knew Zelda was a tomboy, but this…

"What on earth…? Princess, if this one of your pranks—"

"_Don't!"_ Zelda exclaimed. Malon's mouth shut with a snap. Zelda spoke remorsefully, but firmly.

"This isn't a prank. I'm sorry, but please don't refer to me by my title or my name. No one can know I'm here."

"I'll say," Malon said. She lowered her voice. "About three months ago, the Twinrova Sisters announced that you were overthrown!"

"Temporarily removed from sovereignty," Zelda muttered, looking away.

Suddenly, a pair of slender but sturdy arms encircled her and the overthrown princess found herself being hugged tightly.

"I was so worried about you!" Malon tucked her chin over Zelda's shoulder. "I'm glad you're all right. And I can't believe you're getting _married_ soon!"

The corners of Zelda's mouth softened into a smile and she hugged her back. "Technically I have to accept his proposal first. But I'm glad to see you too."

"Oh my," said Malon, pulling back and wrinkling her nose, "you are in desperate need of a bath, girl."

Zelda chuckled self-consciously. "Grottos have been scarce since I left Castle Town."

"You haven't had a bath since _Castle Town?!_ That's at least two weeks from here on foot! Maybe more!"

"It was more," said a voice behind them. The two girls turned around to find a winged ball of blue flying around the corner.

"Navi!" Malon exclaimed. "You're back!"

"'Course I am. Hyrule needs me," said the fairy loftily.

"She was checking for people in the barn," Zelda explained. "Are there any Gerudo stationed here?"

"No, they only come by to pick up the best meat and dairy products for free," said Malon primly. "Ingo and my dad are off making separate milk deliveries. They should be back sometime tomorrow. I'll keep you out of the way and we shouldn't have a problem." She grabbed the other girl's arm. "C'mon! I'm going to cook up some good food for you. Not everything I have is going to the Gerudos!"

Zelda perked up, her voice so hopeful it was pitiful. "Food?"

"Real food?" Navi added eagerly. For some reason, Zelda glared at her.

"Zelda," the fairy said simply. "Your cooking scares me."

"I'll cook for you both," Malon laughed. "After all, the best food in the world comes from Lon Lon Ranch! Tell me everything while I get your bath ready."

Zelda was still glowering at Navi as they headed towards the house. "'Real food'. I do too make real food."

Navi hummed.

~*~*~*~

_The steam in the washroom was heaven on Malon's milky skin and the twelve-year-old girl leaned back against the rim of the giant barrel tub she was bathing in and sighed. Sculpting abstract shapes with soap bubbles on the surface of the water, she wondered idly if Link and Zelda had ever managed to capture the Super Cucco that had escaped into the crate maze in the storage shed. They had invited Malon to help them, but she had politely declined, claiming she needed to bathe and relax so she would be ready to play more into the night. And, though she had left it unspoken, she had seen the way Link stared at Zelda and knew that this game would be better played with two people._

"_Um, may I join you?" Malon turned around to see the young princess of Hyrule standing in the doorway, looking shy._

"_Of course!" Malon smiled broadly and Zelda's eyes lit up. A few minutes later, the two girls were soaking contentedly in the tub, Zelda washing Malon's back as she eagerly told the story of how they had finally solved the puzzle and crawled through the tunnel to claim their prize._

"_And we poked our heads into the little cave that you told us about and guess what we saw?" Zelda giggled. "A nest! The Super Cucco had made a nest! It gave us the dirtiest look ever when it saw us and began to _hiss_." She paused. "I have never heard a cucco hiss before in my life."_

"_You shouldn't make the Super Cuccos mad," Malon remarked, eyes closed serenely as Zelda's sponge scrubbed her lower back._

"_I'll say. Link shoved me so hard back down the tunnel I slid back out into the storage shed."_

_Malon smiled at Link's protectiveness. "Sounds like something he'd do. I'll start putting grain over there for her now that she's got a family to look after." She paused, and then said casually, "I think Link really likes you, Zelda."_

"_I like him too! He's a great friend and he said he'll teach me to glide in the air with Cuccos soon," Zelda chatted, the weight of Malon's words flying completely over her head. "By the way, how long does it take eggs to hatch? We should keep an eye on the chicks and see if they do anything weird. You must call them Super Cuccos for reason…"_

_Malon smiled resignedly to herself and hugged her legs to her chest. How could someone so smart be so clueless about a boy as transparent as Link? She was so not a girl sometimes. But on the other hand, she knew that Zelda's obliviousness was probably best; Link would rather be the one to tell her. And while the ranch girl was aware that she was an endless romantic by nature, in her heart Malon was positive that when he did, he would find a happy ending._

~*~*~*~

Malon was true to her word. Zelda, freshly bathed and wrapped in a light blue fuzzy robe was warming herself by the fire when her friend entered dramatically, holding up a bowl of what she had aptly named "Malon's Super-Special Beef Stew". She sashayed over and set it down in front of her friend, who launched herself at it.

"Wow," said Malon as she served a small fruit salad to Navi. "Like it?"

"It's divine," said Zelda with her mouth full.

"You have no idea," said Navi, munching a cube of apple. "I'm afraid to get used to this. We'll be on the road for a very long time."

Malon looked at Zelda. "How many Sages have you awakened?"

"One." The word seemed to hang in the air a bit longer than necessary.

Malon wrinkled her nose. "One out of five Temples? You'd better get cracking."

"I know," Zelda groaned, setting her empty bowl on the table in front of her. "I try not to panic every time I think about it."

"Well, no matter how rough it gets, you're going to have to take care of yourself better. You're thin as a rail and your hair's full of knots."

"I've been keeping it in my cap," Zelda said timidly.

Malon sighed and moved her chair behind Zelda's. Gathering her mess of golden hair, Malon began working on the tangles, tenderly but firmly. "Nothing wrong with that. But you should braid it so it stays out of trouble."

Zelda was silent. Malon's finger slowed down. "You do know how to braid, right?"

"…no."

"Zelda!" exclaimed Malon in gentle reproach. "Honestly, for all the pink you wear, you are so not a girl!"

"I don't wear pink to be a girl," the hero muttered. "I wear it because I like it. It's pretty."

Malon smiled softly. "You certainly make it so. I'm going to do your hair now and show you later."

"Thanks Malon." Zelda set her bowl down, tucked her legs up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. "And thank you for the food, it was delicious."

"Better than delicious," muttered the fairy. "You have no idea what I've been subjected to these past few weeks."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. It's at least sustenance."

"Barely." Navi flew into the air. "I'm gonna turn in for the night. Good luck with her hair, Malon."

Malon fluttered her fingers in a wave before separating Zelda's hair into three separate sections. "Link didn't know how to cook on the road when I met him as a kid."

Zelda tucked her chin on her knees. "Really? He's such a good chef now."

"That's what I'm saying." Malon began to plait. "All you adventuring types learn how eventually. Just give it time."

Zelda's smile melted as she remembered whom they were talking about. She buried her head in her arms. "Malon?" came her muffled voice. "Do you think he still loves me?"

The other girl almost laughed. "Zelda, it's only been a few months. Trust me, he still loves you."

~*~*~*~

"_I," came Link's muffled voice from under the cap on top of his face, "am never going to love like that again."_

"_Oh Link, buck up," said Malon, who was sitting next to the prone young hero on the grass near the corral. "You know that's not true."_

"_Never," he said dully. "Never ever. Malon, she was the one!"_

"_Exactly, Link," Malon poked him in the side, "she's the one. But everyone has flaws and Zelda's is that she is smart about everything except for her own heart. Give her some time and she'll realize that, too."_

_Link sighed. "Ruto said the same thing."_

"_Well, she's right."_

_The descendents of the Super Cucco who had nested in the hidden cave all those years ago were squawking in good-natured squabbles around a tree. Malon shaded her eyes with a hand. "Let's hope none of them figure out how to move the crates again. I swear they're getting smarter every year."_

_Link laughed. "Well, we had fun solving the puzzle. I'm sure Zelda wouldn't mind doing it again."_

"_She should," said Malon, nodding emphatically. "That girl has become way too serious."_

_Link tilted his head up, shading his eyes against the glare of the sun. His lips curved into something that could have been a grin if it wasn't so sad. "She's always been serious. When I first met her, she looked so solemn and I wanted so badly to make her smile. In fact, right then I knew I wanted to make her smile for the rest of my life."_

~*~*~*~

The night air was warm and balmy and the horses had been let back into the corral to enjoy it. Zelda sat on a low wooden bench and watched Malon talk to the horses. She kept stroking the smooth rope of gold her hair had become. She took Link's cap and fitted it over her head. If she wore her hair like this, she would definitely look more androgynistic. And now there was room for Navi to hide if she wanted.

Malon patted a colt and walked back to Zelda. "You should probably leave tomorrow, you know."

Zelda nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Malon. For everything."

"Not just yet. There's one more thing I think you should have."

Malon turned around and opened her mouth. Her voice, smooth as glass and rich as kings, flowed into song over the ranch. Almost all of the horses stood still and their ears pricked up as they listened. There was one who did not.

"Epona?" Zelda gasped. A chestnut mare with a white blaze down her face was galloping eagerly over to them. She came to a halt in front of Malon, who rubbed her neck.

"She showed up months ago without Link. That's how I first found out something horrible had happened." Malon turned to Zelda, then gasped. "No, don't stand up—"

Epona reared back, whinnying violently. Zelda backed away fast, her eyes on Epona's sharp hooves. The horse stamped the ground angrily, then galloped away. Malon sighed.

"She only likes me and Link," she explained apologetically. "And now, I think Link more than me."

"It's all right, I'm sorry I frightened her," said Zelda. Her heart was still pounding from Epona's furious reaction. While she didn't have Malon's gift with living creatures, no animal had ever disliked her so vehemently before. She had forgotten how choosy Epona was with people.

"You have an ocarina, right? Play her song."

Zelda retrieved the Ocarina of Time and held it to her lips. The friendly tune rang out over the corral. After the first few bars, Zelda gave Malon a worried glance, but the ranch girl nodded encouragingly and Zelda kept playing. After she had gone through the whole song, Epona grudgingly approached them again but stayed several feet away, shaking her head irritably.

"She's probably just upset because you look like Link but you're not."

Zelda sighed. "I seem to be getting that a lot." She pulled Link's green cap off of her head and held it out in front of her. When Epona didn't move she slowly forward, but stopped halfway across the distance between them.

"Epona? Do you remember this?" The horse glared. "It's Link's. And I know I'm not Link, but he's dear to me, just as he is to you. I'm going on a journey to bring him back to us, but I have no reliable way to travel. I need your help."

Epona pawed the earth with her front hooves uncertainly. Zelda spoke quietly but firmly. "Will you please let me ride you?"

The horse whickered, and then, slowly, walked over and closed the gap between them. Zelda patted her and Malon shook her head in wonder. "You think she actually understood all that?"

Zelda smiled at her. "I'm sure she saw the heart of it. Just the way you can see my heart. And Link's."

Malon walked over to her and put her arm around the other girl's waist. Zelda sighed and rested her head against Malon's. "I…I broke a couple of promises I made to him. If Link does still love me…do you think he loves me enough to forgive me?"

Malon tugged her friend's golden braid. "I think he loves you a lifetime's worth of smiles."

Zelda looked confused, but Malon took her hand and led her through the gate of the corral to the tree where she and Link had previously sat. "C'mon. You two dingbats are going to be fine. And as for your quest, you've got your friends and I'm sure many in Hyrule would love a chance to help you."

"And hit on me."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Late into the night, the sound of an ocarina and a beautiful voice could be heard weaving themselves into songs, some new, some old, all bravely and determinedly upbeat. In the distance, Death Mountain stood like an entrance to Hell, smoking and glowing with dragon fire.

~*~*~*~*~

Reviews are always read and greatly appreciated!


	7. And I won't look back

Author's note: Whew! I'm so glad I finally finished chapter 7; the arrival of spring always eats up my time. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I hope you enjoy this!

**No Road of Flowers**

**Chapter 7: And I won't look back**

The wind whipped Zelda's Goron Tunic as she fell several stories down and landed with a solid _smack _on the block she had just hit with the Megaton Hammer. Just as her spine broke, her last fairy flew out of her bottle and the bone and muscle merged back together smoothly and painlessly. Wincing, Zelda got up and staggered to the edge and bent over for a second to catch her breath. Her new tunic protected her from most of the heat, but sweat was streaming down her face and her eyes seemed glazed.

"Zelda?" Navi asked worriedly. "Zelda, are you ok? Zelda?"

Zelda didn't answer. She pulled herself upright and then vaulted over to the door of the boss. The fairy zipped in front of her. "Zelda, if you're still not feeling well, we can rest. It's counterproductive if you start a fight you can't finish, and anyways, we're almost there. Maybe we can find some magic or fairies in the pots over there."

"I'm fine, Navi," Zelda said quietly, her eyes averted. She unlocked the door with the master key and entered the lair of the dragon.

Once she was in the enormous cavern, Zelda raised her sword and shield, but there was no sign of the dragon. The only thing that stood in the middle of the lake of lava was a flat island with mini lava pits. She leaped over to it, and the minute her feet landed on the rock, the room began to tremble. One of the lava pits began to boil and flare, and Zelda backed away with a gasp. First the snout, then the great emerald green eyes, the curved horns with their glowing frills of flame, and then the dragon's only two legs rose out of liquid rock. Zelda stared in awe at the sheer beauty of the creature's sinuous shape as it curved and twisted in the air.

"It's beautiful…" she breathed.

"…and coming RIGHT AT US!" Navi screamed as Volvagia roared. Zelda ducked and rolled, barely missing the spill of lava from the pit the dragon was diving into.

"It's a like a worm!" Navi exclaimed. "Those lava holes are burrows! Wait for it to come up again!"

Zelda took the Megaton Hammer from her belt. A long time ago, this hammer had destroyed this monster. Maybe if she wielded it now, she could do the same.

When another pit began to boil and churn, she ran over and stood with her hammer poised above it. The dragon's head slid out of the pit, flipping its streamers of flame behind it, and Zelda pounded it with the hammer. Dazed and angry, the Volvagia shlooped back into the hole and the shot out again, blasting fire and wreaking havoc with the ceiling of the cave. Huge boulders came crashing down and Zelda ran. However, the Megaton Hammer was meant to be used by a colossally strong people and it could very well slow the typical untrained princess down. She also had to carry it with two hands, leaving her unable to use her shield.

As chunks of smashed boulder slammed into Zelda's forearm and hip, she realized that Navi was right. She more fatigued than she had thought and shouldn't have come in here yet. And the platform behind her had sunk into lava so she couldn't retreat.

_What can I do? _Zelda thought bleakly. _What can I do? What--_

~*~*~*~

"—_can I do, Link? I've got responsibilities now!" Zelda pleaded as they walked around Lake Hylia. The hot, noonday sun beat down on them and reflected off of the water. Its heat was not an improvement to their moods._

_Link slashed a nearby bush with his sword, ignoring the magic potion that was hiding under it. "What, training isn't a responsibility? I spend every single day on something that isn't a responsibility?"_

"_It is a responsibility! Except I've got bigger ones and less time to run around!"_

"_Well, sorry my responsibilities aren't as big as yours. And sorry I'm spending all my time 'running around'."_

_Zelda threw her hands up in the air. "I'm not saying my job is more important than yours! Except it is! I'm going to rule a _kingdom_, Link!"_

"_And I've saved it more than once, which must mean that my job counts for something!"_

_Zelda took a deep breath and wiped the perspiration from her forehead. "Fine. I'm sorry. But I'm sixteen and now I need more time for my studies in the affairs of state. I can't fit in sword training anymore and there's nothing I can do about it."_

_Link stopped walking and turned away from her to look out over the lake. "This is how it starts, you know. Sword training was the only time I had to see you anymore, and now I won't even have that."_

_Zelda's eyes softened and she reached for his hand. "It won't be the only time, Link. I promise. We'll find ways to see each other—"_

"_SKREEEEE!" interrupted the Tektite horde._

_Link whipped out his sword and yelled for Zelda to do the same. She shook herself out of her shock and drew her sword as well, clumsily moving into fighting stance. She had never seen so many Tektites together before; there had to be at least twenty of them. When Link glared at her, she realized her magic was glowing at her fingertips and guiltily snuffed it out._

"_We don't need magic, we can take this! Just follow my lead!" Link lunged at a Tektite, slashing its brittle aqua exoskeleton in half before whirling around and launching a spin attack. Zelda hastily executed a spin attack of her own, but only chopped a couple of spiny yellow legs off. To add insult to injury, one of the Tektites smashed into the ceremonial armor she wore on her shoulders and dented it. The two of them quickly fell into a system of Zelda wounding Tektites chaotically and Link finishing them off. _

_Link was about to stab the second to last one when another jumped from his blind spot and knocked him to the side. The leg of the Tektite he was fighting caught onto his tunic and tore it open from the neck to the belt. Zelda leaped over, whirling her sword. As teal shell went flying, she realized with delight that her blows were lethal. As her feet slipped and she felt her shoulders slam into Link's, she realized with horror that she was going to knock them both into the water. _

_She flailed, trying to regain her balance and Link's feet skidded as he tried to regain his. After a precarious moment where they rested only on air, gravity kicked in and Zelda landed on top of Link on the sandy bank, up to their thighs in water._

"_And that," Link said wryly, flat on his back, "is why you shouldn't give up sword training."_

_Zelda smiled, her cheek on his chest. "Technically, I finished them off."_

_Link rolled his eyes and moved to sit up, but Zelda placed a hand on his chest. "Do you…do you mind if we stay like this? Just for a bit?"_

_Link lay back again in silent consent. Zelda closed her eyes and let herself drift. The cool of the water over their legs felt good in the hot sun and the beat of Link's heart was beginning to slow down from the fight. She felt Link's hand come up and gently begin to stroke her hair. She smiled, rubbing her cheek a little against his bare skin._

"_I really am sorry, Link. But I have to do this right. Whatever it takes."_

_Link's chest rose and fell in a sigh. "I know. That's one of the reasons why I love you, but…. I do love you. So I'm worried. These past few months I feel like you've been going further and further away."_

_Zelda took his hand and held it tight. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise I'll never let my political life eclipse our time together, all right? I promise."_

_A corner of Link's mouth raised in a half-smile and he drew her head up to his to kiss her. "I trust you."_

~*~*~*~

As she slammed the Megaton Hammer into Volvagia's skull, Zelda reflected on yet another apology she owed Link. He was right. This job really was one heck of a responsibility.

As the dragon retreated back into the lava, Zelda began to wonder why it kept doing so. Theoretically, wouldn't it have an easier time flying around and attacking from above? Yet the dragon continued to seek refuge in the molten rock. One of the mini lava pits began to spark and Zelda ran to the edge of the rock island.

"Zelda? What are you doing?" Navi asked as Zelda swung herself over so she was dangling from her hands.

"She won't see me and the rocks can't hurt me from here," Zelda said. "Tell me when she's gone!"

The island vibrated under her fingertips as the boulders crashed down, but she held on tight. After a few minutes, Navi flew over. "She's gone!"

Zelda pulled herself up just in time to see one of the dragon's head come out of another lava pit and she ran over with the Megaton Hammer. She pounded it and then ran to the edge and dangled over again as the dragon searched futilely over the rock, trying to find her. She sank back into the lava again and Zelda heaved herself up, completely free of any new damage. Navi laughed incredulously.

"Well, it's not what Link would have done, but it sure works! I think she's slowing down! Go get her!"

Zelda ran to the next lava pit and almost threw her hammer down on the dragon's head. The dragon reeled and screamed, clutching its head with its claws. It sank back into the lava and shot out of a pit behind her. In a final, beautiful dance through the air, the dragon's body seared away until all that remained was a charred skeleton. The skull, still set with the deep emerald eyes, fell at Zelda's feet in a gesture of surrender.

The blue portal appeared to her right. Navi flew over to it, but Zelda remained put, staring at the dragon skull pensively. She knelt down and pried the jewels out of the skull. Pocketing them, she joined her fairy and stepped into the portal's cool glow with a sigh of relief. The crystal formed and deposited her in the Chamber of the Sages, at the foot of the red platform.

When the Sage of Fire rose from the burst of blue light, Zelda immediately knelt. As only a princess, she was technically outranked by all dominant rulers.

"King Darunia."

"Stand up, little one," rumbled the Goron king. He beamed at her. "From what I've been hearing these days, you will not have to kneel to me for very much longer. I look forward to the day you ascend the Hylian throne as Queen."

Zelda bowed her head in thanks and rose, her next words tumbling out of her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you when I met you earlier."

When she had run into Darunia after first entering the Fire Temple, their conversation had pretty much gone like this:

Darunia: Is that you, Link?

Zelda: Er…

Darunia: It is! I've been meaning to have a man-to-man talk with you…

Zelda: Gah!

Darunia:…but now's not the time.

Zelda: Phew…

[Darunia explains current crisis]

Darunia: Link…I'm asking you to do this as my Sworn Brother…

Zelda: (eyes shift guiltily)…about that…

Darunia: While I'm trying to deal with the dragon, please save my people! I'm counting on you, Link!

Zelda: Ah!...Well…all right, I will!

_End of conversation._

Zelda hung her head guiltily. "I've had to be undercover and on the run while freeing the Temples. But I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth then…and I'm sorry I'm not your Sworn Brother Link. If he were free, he would have accomplished this mission with much more speed and skill."

Darunia gave her an incredulous but gentle look. "This must be what they call destiny. You have just saved myself and my tribe. You of all people should not apologize for who you are."

"I suppose. I'm just certain that if Link were here, he could do more."

"Ever since you were a little girl, you've been accomplishing a great deal, including the conviction of Ganondorf." Darunia's large face darkened. "You father should have listened to you from the start, all those years ago."

Zelda shrugged. "At that time, my father had no solid proof of the Dark Lord's plans. He was also tired from working so hard to maintain the peace Hyrule had just reached. I cannot fault him for acting as he did."

Darunia mellowed a little. "So wise for one so young." He held out his hand. "Hey, take this! This a Medallion that contains the power of the fire spirits—and my friendship."

Zelda caught the red medallion and the room faded to white. Darunia's voice boomed around her, a gentle growl like distant thunder.

"Don't forget…Now you, Link, and I are true Brothers!"

For a split second, Zelda wondered whether or not to correct the technicality of her status as a "Brother" but then, shrugged, smiled, and let herself float away.

~*~*~*~

"Well, now that we've taken care of the Fire Temple, we should head…um Zelda? Goron City is that way."

"I know." Zelda crossed a bridge to the right and motioned for Navi to follow her. Navi hesitated, then flitted after her.

"Is this a quicker way out? It seems like we're just going further up the mountain."

"No. We're heading to the summit."

"The summit?! Why?"

Zelda began climbing a ladder, her eyes fixed determinedly at the top. "There's someone I have to see."

When they reached the summit and entered into the open air, both of them gasped in relief as at the cool air. Zelda threw out her arms to enjoy the breeze and Navi tilted her wings to glide on the updrafts. The hero shielded her eyes against the late afternoon glare of the sun and looked around.

"That's odd. I could have sworn he was up here."

Navi landed on Zelda's shoulder. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about that enormous sleeping Goron behind us, would you?"

Zelda turned around and jumped when she saw said enormous sleeping Goron sit up, blink twice and then lower its face towards them.

"Liiiiiiink?" he said. His speech was slow, and somehow, _large_. Not in that it was painfully loud, rather it was sonorous and the rock around him reverberated when he spoke.

Zelda opened her mouth to correct him, but the Goron lowered his smiling face a little further and did it for her. "Noooooo. You're not Link. Who arrrrrrrre you?"

Zelda blinked, surprised that this gigantic Goron, of all people, was able to see past her disguise. "I'm…Link's friend. In fact, I was wondering if you and he had met and made this."

She unclasped a chain from her neck and removed its pendant, a flower ring with a crystal in its center. She handed it to the Goron, who lifted it with surprising delicacy and held it up to his face.

"So thisssss was what he was worrrrrrking on," the Goron rumbled. "Such beautiful worrrrrrrk." He looked at her. "Well, Liiiiiiink's Friend, he and I met, but he maaaaaade this on his own. He's verrrrrry talented at making things."

"Yes," said Zelda. "He is."

"For this kind of worrrrrrrk, he must have pourrrrrred his heart into making it. He must carrrrrre for you very much."

"Yes," said Zelda, looking away. Tears fell onto the rocky trail. "He does."

"Don't cry too much," said the Goron gently. "You should take carrrrrrre of your eyessssss."

"I'm sorry, I will," she said, brushing her face with her hands.

"I'm Biggoron," said the Goron, handing the ring back to her. "I'm the best smith in the worrrrrld. Better than my brrrrrrother, Medigoron. If you want, I could give you a tourrrrrr of my forges."

"I'd love that," said Zelda, clasping the ring on the chain around her neck. "Thank you. In fact, I was looking forward to one. Link has told me all about them."

"Hopefully you'll find them as rewaaaarrrrrding as he did."

~*~*~*~*~

It is no offhand comment to mention that the Gorons are throwing a party because everyone who is at least somewhat familiar with Goron culture knows that no one can party like a Goron. Zelda drank yet another draft of ale, then set it next to her on the bench, idly wondering if fairies were capable of inebriation. It had been a week since she had begun work and Navi had gone ahead to scout and see where the next temple might be. Zelda had protested, saying that she ought to go with her, but Navi firmly overrode her. There was something Zelda had to accomplish while they were in Goron territory, and she would need time to complete it. Navi promised that she would be back within two weeks, and if Zelda needed her sooner, she would send her a telepathic message.

Zelda worked hard, helping Biggoron and his workers out with bladesmithing and other metalwork. She was by nature a very fast learner and made herself useful quickly. In the evenings, she spent time with Biggoron. No one was sure of what they might be up to, but the lights in the forge were always on.

"Zelda!"

The girl turned around, then a huge smile brightened her face.

"Link!"

Link gave her a big hug and Zelda returned the embrace with enthusiasm. He gazed at her with big, goofy eyes and she patted his head.

This was not, of course, her Link. Both she and her Link had visited Goron city to celebrate the birth of Darunia's son and they had watched him grow up. Link had been deeply flattered about his namesake, even though the inevitable mix-ups caused the most confusion to him whenever they visited.

"None of the grown-ups will let me have any ale," Link said, his eyes somehow becoming even more round and innocent.

"Count me among their number, then."

"Awww, c'mon! Just a little bi—"

"ARGH!" Zelda fell to her knees clutching her head. Spikes of ice needled her mind as she saw terror on the face of a beautiful Zora and an arm clad in a black leather gauntlet grabbing her hand and pulling her out of a wave that looked cold and sparkly and deadly.

_Ruto!_ Zelda cried helplessly, then another barrage of icicles pierced her mind and she screamed._ NAVI!_

The world went black.

~*~*~*~*~

When she opened her eyes, there were several Gorons staring down concernedly at her, one of them calling for a medic. Link was simultaneously crying and promising he'd never touch ale ever if Zelda didn't want him to.

Wincing, she tried tested her limbs, sat up, then immediately lay back down again as vertigo threatened to send her back to unconsciousness. One Goron appeared with a box under his arm. He knelt and offered her an opaque red liquid that smelled like fire. She drank some and sighed as her dizziness began to dissipate.

"You didn't have to yell that loud," said a high-pitched voice behind her. Zelda turned around in surprise and grinned. "Navi!"

"Are you all right?" Navi asked. "I just got to Death Mountain when I heard you yell. I came as fast as I could."

"Yes, I'm all right now," said Zelda, brushing a hand across her face. "But I had another vision. Princess Ruto was in danger and…and I saw Impa."

"Impa? So she's alive?"

Zelda made a sound like a laugh and a sob. "Yes. She is. She must be. She saved Ruto."

"That's wonderful!" Navi bounced a bit in the air. "I was just at Zora Domain and it's completely frozen over!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone visualized an entire kingdom made of flowing water suddenly cold and immobile. Zelda lifted her ale mug and took another swig.

"There's a cavern with strong evil energies coming from it," said Navi. "Sure sign someone's trying to hide something. If you're feeling better, we should definitely head over there."

Zelda nodded and absently handed the half-full ale mug to a startled Link before standing and striding towards the exit of Goron City, wondering if she would finally be able to see her missing attendant again.

~*~*~*~*~

The Great Fairy woke up in her fountain, where she was currently an invisible, intangible presence under the sparkling water. She had been dreaming of the time when she had come to life under the gentle, golden hands of a green-eyed goddess. An impossibly beautiful face had smiled and kissed her like a mother, bequeathing a glowing green crystal with instructions to pass it on only to the worthy. Wondering if such a hero had come to visit her, she listened closely to the voices in her chamber…

"Zelda, it'll be ok."

"No."

"She's not going to hurt you."

"My psychic intuition doesn't find that statement reassuring."

"Just because the last one propositioned you—"

"'Just' because? _Exactly_ because! Are you quite sure these Great Fairies are… well … legitimate?"

"Din's Fire has been a great help, right? C'mon. Go do your thing."

When she heard the notes of the chosen lullaby, the Great Fairy flew up out of her fountain, clothing herself in corporeal form. She looked down at the tense young woman with the ocarina, unable to keep a wicked grin off of her face.

"Welcome hero! You're looking more delicious than ever! Here's a magic spell for you!"

She blew a kiss and Zelda flinched. A green light encased in crystal floated down to the girl.

"This is called Farore's Wind. Use it to warp when you are in danger and you will teleport to the Warp Point. You can use it in temples, but only in temples."

"That's useful. Thank you," said Zelda, her shoulders still tense.

"When battle has made you weary, please come back to visit me," cooed the Great Fairy. Her coo turned into a maniacal laughter when she saw the look on Zelda's face. She dove back under the water of her fountain, humming to herself. That had been worth waking up for.

~*~*~*~*~

King Zora did not dream. If he were aware of this, he might have been grateful. The horror of watching your people freeze in the very water they lived in was a nightmare that would have haunted his sleep and sleep was all he would have been able to do. Instead, his body and his subconscious were suspended magically in ice, no quite alive but certainly not dead. He saw nothing, he heard nothing, he thought nothing, and he felt nothing, even when a cool blue flame engulfed his person and melted the ice.

"What?" he sputtered, drops of water running down his mustache. He looked down at a green-clad figure with an empty bottle. "Link? Is that you?"

"I'm afraid not," she said, kneeling. The king's eyes widened.

"Zelda? My dear girl, stand up! Are you all right? You've been missing for months!"

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you all right?"

"Much better. But why are you dressed like Link?"

"Because my presence must be kept a secret," she said, looking at him meaningfully. "I need to free all of the temples and save Hyrule."

"Then you must go to the Water Temple at Lake Hylia. Unfortunately, most of it's submerged and it looks like you have a hard time breathing underwater. As an expression of my gratitude, I grant you this Zora Tunic. Now you can swim underwater for as long as you need."

Zelda caught the blue garment he gave her and Navi peeked out of her cap. "With that tunic and your new Iron Boots, you'll have no trouble at all underwater!"

"Thank you, King," said Zelda with a little bow. "I was wondering if you would know of the whereabouts of your daughter."

"Have I ever?" the King said with a jovial chuckle. "You and she were always marvelous at running away and getting into trouble. But seriously," he said in a low voice, "she is likely under the ice like the rest of my people."

Zelda shook her head, looking troubled. "I had a vision that she was saved. But she does not seem to be in Zora Domain."

"Oh, my poor daughter!" he said woefully. "I hope she's all right! Please, Princess Zelda, break the curse on the Water Temple! Once the curse is lifted, perhaps we'll be able to find her."

Zelda bowed and saluted him before running out of the chamber. With all of the water in Zora Domain frozen, she would have to ride Epona across Hyrule Field to reach the lake. Navi flew down so she was level with Zelda's waist.

"Hey! You've got one more bottle of blue fire. You only needed one to free King Zora."

"He's not the only king I have to free."

"Oh! Are we traveling back to Hyrule Castle then?"

Zelda shook her head. "Can't. After our last visit, they'll have definitely tightened security. Once I free all of the temples, I'll have enough power to storm the castle at last."

~*~*~*~

With all the water gone from the lake, there was no mirror for the moon to reflect off of. Even the dark birds flying overhead seemed less vindictive than usual. Out on a small island, a dark figure was examining the evil enchantments emanating from the entrance to the temple.

Suddenly, one of the birds landed on the figure's shoulder, cawing urgently and bright scarlet eyes widened at the news of the arrival of a horse and a blue-clad rider. It couldn't be…he was imprisoned…

Or could it?

At any rate, if it wasn't him, it could be a threat to the temple. With a gesture and a few words of old magic, the dark figure vanished.

~*~*~*~*~

Author's note: The dialogue with Darunia has been edited to allow for a _slightly_ different setting than the actual Ocarina of Time and, of course, for length issues.

Dangling over the side during danger and coming out when safe was an accidental, but happy discovery made by Dana and myself when I was facing Volvagia the first time. And why yes, it _is_ how I fought her. What's that? A cheap move you say?

_Nah._

As always, feedback is always read and greatly appreciated!


End file.
